To no surprise, the underdog Swedes came into Friday with a defensive tactical approach against the defending World Cup champion Americans. A tied score of 1-1 at the end of overtime led to a shoot-out, and Sweden stole the game from the heavily-favored Americans. Solo said Sweden didn’t play great, entertaining soccer.
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“And I also think we played a bunch of cowards”.
Sweden are coached by Pia Sundhage, who led the USA team to gold medals at the Beijing and London Olympics. I’m very proud of this team.
On the other hand, coach Sundhage might know the American women’s soccer team better than anyone except current coach Jill Ellis, led the USA squad to Olympics Games victory in 2008 and 2012 before she returned to her homeland.
“I’m going to Rio, and she’s going home”. “Although it was unspoken, there were times we could feel there were some uncomfortable levels around you”.
“Solo went on to say she didn’t think “[Sweden is] going to make it far in the tournament. I think it was fainthearted.
The shootout followed. Morgan, going first for the United States, had her shot blocked.
“What she did was an act of panic”, said Swedish ‘keeper Hedvig Lindahl of Solo’s time-wasting tactics before the final penalty.
Solo has been in the spotlight for an earlier controversy after posting photos on social media of herself wearing a mosquito mask and carrying repellent amid Zika scares.
The locals did not find her posts amusing and heckled her with chants of “Zika!”.
The crowd at Mane Garrincha Stadium was sparse but continued to jeer Solo every time she touched the ball.
Next up for Brazil is a rematch with Sweden, who they beat 5-1 in the group stages, in Rio’s iconic Maracana on Tuesday. US goalkeeper Hope Solo saved an attempt by Linda Sembrant to pull the USA even on the third shot of the shootout but couldn’t save Sweden’s final, winning shot by Lisa Dahlkvist. The assistant ran over and gave them to her. Dahlkvist watched the drama and smiled. Nearly immediately thereafter, Sweden’s Lotta Schelin beat Solo, only to have the ref wave off her goal on a dubious offside call.
The Americans won their first two matches in Brazil before a surprising 2-2 draw in Manaus against Colombia, which had already been eliminated. It was not to be.
This loss ended a 14-game unbeaten streak, even if it wasn’t all Solo’s fault. And then a deep free-kick perfectly in the the box unable to find the back of the net, Sweden one minute from a much-needed halftime break. “They didn’t want to open play”. They didn’t want to pass the ball. It was a combative game. Exactly what they wanted and exactly what their game plan was.
“I thought that we played a courageous game”.
“According to Hope Solo, I think you should define what is a good team”, Sundhage told the Los Angeles Times.
“And they’re winning all the time”. In an illuminating few moments about 600 miles apart Friday, the world saw America at its best and worst. But for once they didn’t go the whole way through. We won the game.
The outspoken Solo, rather than paying tribute to the gritty Swedish squad, denounced the winners as a “bunch of cowards”. “We defended very well”, Sundhage said.
It was the first Olympic women’s match ever to go to penalties.
Sundhage knows the US team well, having coached the Americans for five years and led them to a pair of Olympic golds.
Hungary, Greece, Spain and defending champion Croatia also won on the fourth day of the competition, sharpening the picture for the next round.
“It is ok to be coward if you win”, Sundhage shot back.
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Stina Blackstenius put Sweden ahead on Friday after 61 minutes but the United States equalised 16 minutes later through Alex Morgan. Christen Press’ right-footed shot was shockingly skied well over the crossbar.
