The US lost to Sweden in the quarterfinal following a heartbreaking penalty shootout.
Advertisement
Stina Blackstenius put Sweden ahead on Friday after 61 minutes but the United States equalised 16 minutes later through Alex Morgan.
The Swedes stymied the powerful American attack and advanced to the women’s soccer semifinals at the Olympics, leaving the USA team empty-handed and with their earliest exit from a major tournament.
“The best team did not win today”, Solo said in quotes reported by the BBC.
Sweden’s coach and former USWNT coach Pia Sundhage embraced the “coward” label due to the result of the game. Anyone who has played or followed soccer knows this is a common tactic and quite shrewd. The US had been the defending champions.
Still, the US team had yet to medal in a tournament all season.
But on this day, Sweden, guided by former US coach Pia Sundhage, prevailed in the tiebreaker to claim a semifinal slot against Brazil or Australia on Tuesday in Rio de Janeiro. Current U.S. coach Jill Ellis was her assistant. It was the US women’s first exit from a major global competition before the semifinals.
Hope Solo made headlines for all the wrong reasons after she and the American women’s national soccer team lost in the quarterfinals to Sweden on Friday.
“I thought we played a courageous game”. And I also think we played a bunch of cowards. “I’m going to Rio, and she’s going home”. “And we’re going home”.
While the “park the bus” strategy is often debated in soccer, Ellis simply drew the inevitable conclusion that it was successful.
“I don’t give a crap”, she said.
“Things don’t always go the way you want them to”, Solo said.
She then made two errors as the U.S. drew with Colombia in their final group game. “No, that’s their choice”.
Taunted by local fans since the Olympics began and stinging from a surprising loss, Hope Solo called Sweden a “bunch of cowards”. People are free to say those things. “We would not stop them expressing their opinion within boundaries”. By the by, I am so pleased with the way we played today, our battle, our heart, and the aptitude we appeared.
“I have a bad rap”, she told CNN in 2012. The sport joined the Olympics at the 1996 Atlanta Games, with the US winning the first gold medal.
The U.S. was absolutely stunned by Sweden in a 4-3 penalty kick shootout loss.
The Swedes, who won bronze in 2004, face a considerable challenge in their next match against host Brazil and the country’s star player, Marta.
Advertisement
Canada maintained their flawless record in Brazil to set up a semi-final with Germany in Belo Horizonte thanks to Sophie Schmidt’s victor in a 1-0 win over France. “The point is to go out there and be the best athlete you can be”, American teammate Dagmara Wozniak said. At last year’s World Cup, the two teams played to a scoreless draw.
