BREAKING: #Sweden Knocks Out #USA From 2023 #FIFAWWC—-Sweden are through to the quarter-finals of the World Cup after a dramatic penalty shootout win over the USA.
The game was a tense affair with the USA putting pressure on their opponents at regular intervals. However Chelsea stopper Zecira Musovic stayed strong throughout and kept her team in it as Sweden forced America into extra-time and then penalties.
Chelsea’s Zecira Musovic was the star as Sweden dumped two-time defending champions USA and their reitring superstar Megan Rapinoe out of the Women’s World Cup with a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory in Melbourne.
Peter Gerhardsson’s Swedes frustrated the Stars and Stripes for long spells and secured a 5-4 win via spot kicks after the contest had concluded 0-0 following extra time.
Lina Hurtig’s winning kick just about squirmed over the line and needed to be checked by VAR as the Scandinavians edged through in sudden death after Kelley O’Hara’s penalty had hit the post.
It was perhaps no surprise that it proved to be a tight contest between two countries who have faced off more times than in any other fixture in Women’s World Cup history.
Sweden sat deep and mainly threatened from set pieces while the USA almost broke the deadlock when Lindsey Horan hit the crossbar with a 35th-minute header.
It was Horan who went close again following the restart but her superb first-time strike off a cross from the right was brilliantly tipped past the post by Zecira Musovic.
Sweden rarely made much impact in open play with substitute Sofia Jakobsson flashing their first attempt on target straight at Alyssa Naeher on 85 minutes.
USA almost snatched it in the final minute of normal time but Musovic flung herself to her right to keep out Alex Morgan’s header.
The Sweden stopper continued her defiant display in extra time with further saves from Morgan and substitute Lynn Williams as the Stars and Stripes pushed for a winner to no avail.
Sweden somehow came through a rollercoaster shoot-out that saw US keeper Alyssa Naeher both score and save a spot-kick and will now meet Japan in the quarter finals on Friday.
For Rapinoe it is a heart-breaking end to her illustrious career, with the midfielder having confirmed that she will step away from football at the end of the current NWSL season later this year.
More to follow….
