The United States women’s national team lost to Sweden at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on Sunday in the round of 16 in penalties. The loss eliminated the USWNT from the Women’s World Cup in its earliest exit in the program’s history.
The sides played to a 0-0 draw and neither were able to score the game-winner in extra time. Megan Rapinoe, Sophia Smith and Kelley O’Hara missed crucial penalty kicks, and with the shootout tied at four, Alyssa Naeher stopped Lina Hurtig’s shot but not enough as the ball crossed the line and was ruled a goal.
It was a bitter defeat and a brutal end for Rapinoe, who announced she would retire at the end of this year, and for other USWNT veterans that likely played their last World Cup games.
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This no doubt was a failure. Winning three straight World Cups is difficult but that’s the weight of expectation as a two-time defending champion and for a program that never finished worst than third place before Sunday.
There’s a lot more nuance to get through, so here are five takeaways from the USWNT’s heartbreaking loss to Sweden.
Formation shift
Vlatko Andonovski had to make a change, not only because Rose Lavelle missed the match due to a yellow-card suspension. The USWNT went with a 4-2-3-1 formation with Emily Sonnett and Andi Sullivan as a double pivot and Lindsey Horan in a No. 10 role. The change drastically changed how the United States played and fit the style Andononvski wants from his team. Sonnett helped provide numbers in the midfield, and there were more outlets for players to go to. The press and counter-press were spot on, and the USWNT were more effective in possession, It just wasn’t able to find the back of the net despite 11 shots on target, which was prevented by goalkeeper Zecira Musovic.
Trinity Rodman shined
The Washington Spirit forward had her best game of the tournament Sunday. The United States keeping possession allowed it to play better balls to the wingers, and after a match where the team was left-side dominant, there was more balance that allowed Rodman to take control of the right wing.
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Rodman fired off two great shots in the first half and arguably could have been more selfish. The 21-year-old dealt with an unknown illness heading into Sunday’s match, so she was subbed off in the 66th minute, but she proved she can be a game-changer on the international stage.
Playing Sweden’s game
Now with the positives out of the way, let’s get to the negatives. The USWNT played its best game of the tournament. That was in part due to its tactical change, and how Sweden preferred to play the game. Sweden was a dangerous team heading into the World Cup because of its defense and ability to counter with its high-end attacking talent. Sweden was comfortable throughout Sunday’s match to sit back and let the USWNT possess the ball. All Sweden had to do was not concede and hope for a breakdown in the United States defense. That didn’t happen, so the next best thing was win in penalties, and that’s what it did. And it moves on to play Japan in the quarterfinals Friday.
Lack of a plan B
For as great as the USWNT looked in possession, it wasn’t able to score the definitive goal. The second half featured desperate balls into the box that didn’t find another player to finish. Andonovski had multiple options on the bench but only chose to sub on Lynn Williams and Rapnioe. Williams played well and wasn’t that much of a drop off from Rodman, but Rapinoe showed in the group stage she’s not the same player from 2019. But Andonovski also showed in the group stage he has very little trust in half of the roster. Kristie Mewis and O’Hara simply were brought on for penalties, but the USWNT needed an extra boost that could have been the difference. Andonovski didn’t pull the trigger and paid for it.
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Where does the program go from here?
Soccer is a cruel game. You can play well for 120 minutes but still lose in the end. It’s why fans love the sport and why detractors loathe it. It would be a shock if Andonovski returned for another World Cup cycle. That was a slight expectation even if the USWNT won this year, but a loss in the round of 16 strengthen the case. Who takes over is anyone’s guess. Andonovski’s failure shows how much pressure there is for any head coach, which is why Jill Ellis deserves more praise for winning two straight World Cups.
Whoever takes over must change the style of play of the team. The 2023 World Cup showed other teams have caught up. The growth of domestic leagues across the globe has helped develop and identify better players. Is the NWSL doing the same? That’s a question that must be pondered. No longer can the United States rely on hope and resiliency. The USWNT actually has to consistently play good soccer to win games. The talent pool is rich, and Smith will bounce back from Sunday’s low point. But that does not happen without dramatic changes to the program.
Featured image via Jenna Watson/USA TODAY Sports Images
