The US was a post width away from exiting the Women’s World Cup at the group stage, but survived a late scare to earn a goalless draw against Portugal and reach the last 16. With the game hanging in the balance, substitute Ana Capeta had a glorious chance to earn Portugal a famous win in the closing stages, but her effort struck the post with goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher completely helpless. Defeat for the US – a team aiming for a third consecutive world title – would have ended its participation in the tournament. The Associated Press has the story:
Relieved Americans advanced on the Women’s World Cup
Newslooks- AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP)
The Americans came into the Women’s World Cup as the two-time defending champions and tournament favorites. By the end of the group stage, they are relieved to still be in the competition.
“That was stressful. I was like (expletive),” said United States star Megan Rapinoe, using a curse word to describe her emotions after the team squeezed into the knockout stage with a 0-0 draw against Portugal on Tuesday. Had Portugal substitute Ana Capeta’s shot gone into the net rather than hit the post and rebounded out in stoppage time, the Americans might have been eliminated. As it is, they are advancing in second place behind the Netherlands.
A blast of relief ran through every American player, coach and fan in Eden Park when the final whistle sounded.
While they may not be playing their best at the moment, the U.S. players were quick to point out after the game that they are, in fact, still playing.
“We’re not happy with the performance we put out there, but at the same time we’re moving on,” Alex Morgan said. “This isn’t the first time in my career that we’ve moved on second in the group.”
The last time the United States didn’t win its group was 2011, when the Americans finished second to Sweden before eventually losing to Japan on penalty kicks in the final.
This time around, the back-to-back defending champions scored just four goals during the three-game group stage. And the three goals were scored in their tournament opener against Vietnam.
The 2019 United States team more than tripled that number in its group-stage opener against Thailand, which it won 13-0 in a record for goals in a match at a Women’s World Cup.
“We trust our forwards, we trust our players to get it done. We haven’t in the group stage –- and that’s on us,” defender Julie Ertz said. “Once it gets to the knockout stages, you kind of become a different team. It’s just do or die at that point.”
Part of the Americans’ problem has been injuries.
U.S. forward Mallory Swanson missed the tournament with a torn patellar tendon suffered in April in a friendly versus Ireland. Prior to that, Swanson was the United States’ leading scorer, and netted four of the team’s five goals in this year’s SheBelieves Cup.
But on Tuesday night, the players weren’t making excuses.
“I think we can create better chances to get a goal,” forward Lynn Williams said. “But at the end of the day, it’s one of those things where you turn the page and you have to learn and grow really quick because you have no time to dwell on this.”
The United States will likely play Sweden in the round of 16 on Sunday in Melbourne, Australia.
Sweden currently sits undefeated on top of Group G. In order for the date between the United States and Sweden to fall through, Sweden would have to lose to Argentina, and Italy would have to beat South Africa by a large margin to overcome the current 10-goal goal difference between the two teams.
The Swedes are familiar foes for the Americans, and another matchup would be the seventh time the two countries have played in the Women’s World Cup. Sweden beat the United States 3-0 in the group stage of the Tokyo Olympics.
“I feel like we always play them. We know them so well,” Ertz said. “They’ve been great this tournament, so I’m excited. You always want to play against the best and I’m so excited to play them and show them what we have.”
Shaky Americans avoid upset to reach Women’s World Cup knockout round after 0-0 draw with Portugal
Ana Capeta nearly scored for Portugal in stoppage time but her shot hit the left post and the United States escaped with a uninspiring 0-0 draw Tuesday night that got them through — just barely — to the knockout round.
The U.S. won only one game in group play for the first time in tournament history, scoring just four goals over three games. With the scoreless draw, the United States fell to second in the group behind the Netherlands and will head to Melbourne, Australia, for a round of 16 match on Sunday.
“We should have put some in the back of the net and we didn’t. We own that,” Alex Morgan said. “We’re not happy with the performance we put out there. But at the same time, we’re moving on.”
The Americans, the most successful team ever at the World Cup with four titles, have never been eliminated in the tournament’s group stage. But they looked shaky against the Portuguese, who were playing in their first World Cup.
“Obviously we want to play great and score a lot of goals, and we didn’t do that. We know that it can be better, and has to be better, moving forward,” said Megan Rapinoe, who came into the match in the second half as a substitute. “But ultimately, we’re on to the next round.”
The Portuguese players sobbed on the field after the final whistle after having come oh-so-so close to upsetting the mighty United States. Capeta’s shot about two minutes into stoppage time looked so good that her coaches started celebrating and the players on the bench jumped to their feet.
“I truly believed that the goal would be in that moment and I was starting to think, `What can I do to help my players if we’re winning 1-0?'” coach Francisco Neto said. “What I said to the girls, I was very proud. Of course, they are very sad because we have huge expectations of ourselves.”
Lynn Williams, who started for the U.S. for the first time in the tournament, had a chance on a header in the 14th minute but Portugal goalkeeper Ines Pereira smothered it. While the U.S. controlled possession and had the better chances, the team could not finish and the game was scoreless at the break.
Rose Lavelle picked up a yellow card in the 38th minute, her second of the group stage, and she won’t be available for the team’s round of 16 match.
The frustration of the U.S. fans at Eden Park was evident at the break, when there were scattered boos among the crowd as the teams headed for the tunnel. Early in the second half, a fire alarm went off in the stadium but it turned out to be a malfunctioning sprinkler.
The United States had a free kick from a dangerous spot in the 57th minute, but Morgan’s header popped up well over the goal. She put her hands to her face in exasperation.
“I think we just need a little bit of ruthlessness in front of the net,” Lavelle said. “I think we’re getting the chances, but it’s that final bit of ruthlessness of just putting it away.”
Rapinoe came in as a sub in the 61st minute, but the Golden Boot winner at the 2019 World Cup couldn’t find that elusive goal.
U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski tweaked his starting lineup for the match and started both Williams and Lavelle for the first time at this World Cup. He had started Trinity Rodman at forward and Savannah DeMelo in the midfield for the team’s first two games.
Lavelle boosted the team when she came in at halftime against the Netherlands on Thursday in Wellington when a lackluster opening half sent the Americans into the break down 1-0 to the Dutch. Lavelle’s corner to Lindsey Horan gave the Americans a 1-1 draw in the match.
But the energy just wasn’t there against Portugal and the Americans seemed lost and unorganized for most of the match. In a post-game huddle, defender Kelley O’Hara, one of the veterans, shouted at her teammates.
“I just told the team ‘Listen, we did what we had to do, we’re moving on, the group stage is done, this is over, it’s in the rearview, we have our next game in front of us and that’s the only one that matters,’” O’Hara said. “Maybe we didn’t do it the way we wanted to, or planned on doing it, but we’re advancing and this is the World Cup and that’s all that matters.”
The United States last lost in the group stage to Sweden at the 2011 World Cup, but the Americans still advanced to the final match before losing on penalties to champion Japan.
The Americans have not needed the third and final group-stage match to learn their tournament fate since 2007, when there was only a slim chance for elimination. A loss to Portugal on Tuesday could have ended the tournament for the Americans.
Going into the match, the United States sat atop Group E even on points with the Netherlands but holding an edge on goal differential. But the Netherlands erased that advantage and took the group lead with a decisive 7-0 victory over Vietnam, in a match played simultaneously in Dunedin.
The Netherlands now heads to Sydney to face the second-place team from Group G, which includes Sweden, South Africa, Italy and Argentina. The United States plays the group’s top team — likely Sweden.
“They made it frustrating for us, and yeah, I think we’re disappointed with ourselves,” Lavelle said. “But we made it through, so we’ve got to put our energy toward that.”
