U.S. women’s national team shocked in penalty shootout elimination from World Cup

MELBOURNE, Australia — The U.S. women’s national team’s era of glory came crashing down in a stunning heap on Sunday, as it fell to Sweden in a penalty kick shootout after a scoreless tie in the round of 16 at the women’s World Cup.

The U.S. out-shot Sweden, 22-9, in the 120 minutes of action before the penalty shootout, including 11-1 in shots on goal. Swedish goalkeeper Zećira Mušović was brilliant in net, though, denying the Americans again and again.

It’s by far the earliest the American women have ever gone out of a major tournament, and there will be ramifications to come for a long time.

Once the shock of how it happened wears off, that is.

U.S. manager Vlatko Andonovski made two changes among his starters. One wasn’t surprising: the return of Trinity Rodman to the forward line. But the other was a big surprise: the inclusion of Emily Sonnett with Rose Lavelle suspended.

That is not a like-for-like swap at all. Sonnett is a defensive utility player, and Lavelle is an attacking playmaker. And with Julie Ertz also starting, it was unclear until right up to kickoff whether Sonnett or Ertz would play in the midfield, with the other at centerback.

It turned out that Ertz stayed on the back line, where she has played throughout the tournament so far, and Sonnett lined up next to Andi Sullivan in the deep midfield spots. Lindsey Horan played in front of the duo, in Lavelle’s usual spot.

» READ MORE: Lindsey Horan, Lynn Williams and the USWNT try to fix what’s wrong before it’s too late

One of Sweden’s biggest strengths is corner kicks, as shown by scoring four of its first seven goals in the group stage in that fashion. The U.S. knew it and designed a defensive strategy accordingly, jamming the six-yard box every time. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher came up big on the first two, leaping to punch the ball away in the air.

in the 34th minute, the U.S. nearly gave Sweden a taste of its own medicine with its first corner kick of the game. Sullivan served it superbly and Horan leapt high to head it, but the attempt slammed off the crossbar and out.

Sweden attacked in a 4-3-3, but defensively was content to sit back in a 5-3-2 and dare the U.S. to get past it. And the U.S. did, registering six shots (two on target) to Sweden’s two (none on target) in the first half.

The Americans had 62% of the possession and completed 206 passes to Sweden’s mere 98. Just as importantly, the U.S. had a satisfying 80% pass completion rate to Sweden’s 64%. In the key midfield positions, Sullivan was 20-for-22 and Sonnett was 25-for-28, though Horan was 16-for-26.

The best U.S. chance of the game up to then came in the 53rd minute, out of a sequence of cross-field passes that spread Sweden’s defense out. It culminated with Emily Fox teeing up Horan for a ferocious first-time volley from 13 yards that forced a sensational save from Mušović.

» READ MORE: Alex Morgan calls out the USWNT’s lack of ruthlessness — and her own — at the World Cup

Andonovski made the first move this time, sending in Lynn Williams for Rodman in the 66th minute. Williams got after it right away, repeatedly slicing inside the right half of Sweden’s back line.

But while the U.S. had a 12-3 advantage in shots through 80 minutes, there were still no goals. So when Sweden made two attacking substitutions in the 81st — Sofia Jakobsson replaced Johanna Kaneryd and Lina Hurtig replaced Kosovare Asllani — there was a sense that the game might turn.

Four minutes later, Jakobsson, a teammate of Morgan’s on the NWSL’s San Diego Wave, cut in from the right and forced a big save from Naeher. It was Naeher’s first save of the tournament, a testament to the defense in front of her — including another San Diego stalwart, Naomi Girma.

In the 89th, it was Mušović's turn to come up big again, denying Horan’s point-blank header of Williams’ cross from the right.

After two minutes of stoppage time, veteran referee Stephanie Frappart blew her whistle to end regulation.

» READ MORE: Women’s World Cup TV schedule, live streaming, kickoff times on Fox and Telemundo

Morgan produced the U.S.’ first salvo of the extra 30 minutes, forcing a corner kick in the 96th with a tight-angle shot that Mušović pushed out of bounds. Each team then made a substitution, first Sweden sending in Hanna Bennison for Filippa Angeldahl, then the U.S. sending in Megan Rapinoe for Morgan. That moved Smith to the central striker spot.

Five minutes later, Mušović made another dazzling save, this time denying Williams — who briefly played for the Melbourne Victory pro team here a year and a half ago — with a fingertip stop.

At the intermission of extra time, the U.S. had an 18-9 advantage in shots, 8-1 in shots on target.

With many Australian fans in the crowd of 27,706 cheering Sweden on, the game started to look destined for penalty kicks. Sweden earned one last big chance in the 119th minute when Ertz was booked for a foul, but the U.S. was able to handle the ensuing free kick.

Down on the sideline, Andonovski readied a double substitution with penalties in mind. Just in time, Kelley O’Hara replaced Fox, and Kristie Mewis replaced Sonnett.

As a flock of seagulls that had nested on the stadium roof all night descended to the field, Sullivan went first for the U.S. She slammed a shot in low to the goalkeeper’s right, and let out a big roar. Fridolina Rolfö then equalized for Sweden.

In the second round, Horan scored for the U.S., then Elin Rubensson smashed a really impressive hit past Naeher. Then Mewis scored with ease, and Sweden’s Nathalie Björn blasted over the crossbar.

Now it was Rapinoe’s turn to step back up to the thing she has long done so well. But she shot even higher over than Björn did, drawing shocked roars from all over the stands.

Naeher had her moment next, though, diving at full stretch to punch away Blomqvist′s attempt.

Smith stepped up with the chance to win it, but she also shot over. Benniso was next, and scored.

Now here came Naeher to shoot, surprisingly. She was a picture of focus as she stood over the ball, and she scored as if she was a striker.

Magdalena Eriksson had to make it for Sweden, as Naeher resumed her usual spot on the goal line, and she did.

Then came the final turns. O’Hara sent Mušović the wrong way but hit the post, and Hurtig scored — but only when Naeher’s save bounced over the line, and a video review was required to confirm it.

It was the end of the game, and the end of so much more.

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