By ZACH ALLEN (Associated Press)
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — The Americans got here into the Women’s World Cup because the two-time defending champions and event favorites.
By the top of the group stage, they’re relieved to nonetheless be within the competitors.
“That was stressful. I was like (expletive),” stated United States star Megan Rapinoe, utilizing a curse phrase to explain her feelings after the crew squeezed into the knockout stage with a 0-0 draw in opposition to Portugal on Tuesday.
Had Portugal substitute Ana Capeta’s shot gone into the online quite than hit the put up and rebounded out in stoppage time, the Americans might need been eradicated.
As it’s, they’re advancing in second place behind the Netherlands.
A blast of aid ran by way of each American participant, coach and fan in Eden Park when the ultimate whistle sounded.
While they might not be enjoying their greatest in the mean time, the U.S. gamers have been fast to level out after the sport that they’re, actually, nonetheless enjoying.
“We’re not happy with the performance we put out there, but at the same time we’re moving on,” Alex Morgan stated. “This isn’t the first time in my career that we’ve moved on second in the group.”
The final time the United States didn’t win its group was 2011, when the Americans completed second to Sweden earlier than ultimately shedding to Japan on penalty kicks within the last.
This time round, the back-to-back defending champions scored simply 4 objectives throughout the three-game group stage. And the three objectives have been scored of their event opener in opposition to Vietnam.
The 2019 United States crew greater than tripled that quantity in its group-stage opener in opposition to Thailand, which it gained 13-0 in a file for objectives 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 stated. “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’ drawback has been accidents.
U.S. ahead Mallory Swanson missed the event with a torn patellar tendon suffered in April in a pleasant versus Ireland. Prior to that, Swanson was the United States’ main scorer, and netted 4 of the crew’s 5 objectives on this 12 months’s SheBelieves Cup.
But on Tuesday night time, the gamers weren’t making excuses.
“I think we can create better chances to get a goal,” ahead Lynn Williams stated. “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 probably play Sweden within the spherical of 16 on Sunday in Melbourne, Australia.
Sweden at present sits undefeated on prime of Group G. In order for the date between the United States and Sweden to fall by way of, Sweden must lose to Argentina, and Italy must beat South Africa by a big margin to beat the present 10-goal purpose distinction between the 2 groups.
The Swedes are acquainted foes for the Americans, and one other matchup could be the seventh time the 2 nations have performed within the Women’s World Cup. Sweden beat the United States 3-0 within the group stage of the Tokyo Olympics.
“I feel like we always play them. We know them so well,” Ertz stated. “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.”
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