The US womenтАЩs national team (USWNT) suffered a major blow after they were eliminated by Sweden at the FIFA World Cup on Sunday. The round-of-16 defeat also marked their earliest World Cup exit ever. American striker Alex Morgan appeared to be absolutely clueless following her sideтАЩs shocking penalty shootout defeat against Sweden. When asked about her future with the national team, the 34-year-old did not have a concrete response. тАЬI donтАЩt know. I was so focused on the World Cup that, I donтАЩt know. I just need to get back to San Diego, get back to work, go from there,тАЭ Morgan said after the match.
Despite enjoying 58 percent ball possession and registering 11 shots on target, the US team failed to breach the Swedish defence in 120 minutes. Alex Morgan struck three shots on target but Swedish goalkeeper Zecira Musovic managed to stop each of those. The San Diego Wave striker was substituted nine minutes into extra time with Megan Rapinoe coming onto the pitch.
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тАЬJust devastated. Feels like a bad dream. And, I donтАЩt know, the team put everything out there tonight. I feel like we dominated. But it doesnтАЩt matter. At the end of the day, weтАЩre going home. ItтАЩs the highs and lows of the sport of soccer. It just doesnтАЩt feel great,тАЭ Morgan said following the heart-breaking defeat.
The US headed into the fixture against Sweden having been unbeaten at the World Cup for 12 years. This is the worst performance of the US at the FIFA WomenтАЩs World Cup. They had never finished the marquee event worse than third.
At the group stage of this yearтАЩs World Cup, the US could manage to record just one victory. Their solitary group-stage win occurred against Vietnam. In their remaining two matches, they drew against Portugal and the Netherlands. The US dominated the game against Sweden in the pre-quarterfinals, having struck 22 shots. Somehow, they failed to find the back of the net even once. тАЬBeing able to come out of the group stage where we didnтАЩt play our best and changing it into this kind of performance. This is what this team is going to be made of with so many young players coming through,тАЭ skipper Lindsey Horan was quoted as saying by CNN following the defeat.
The Swedish football team will next be up against Japan in the quarter-finals on August 11. Spain and the Netherlands are the two sides who have qualified for the quarter-finals at this yearтАЩs FIFA WomenтАЩs World Cup.
