The Swedes beat the US 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the quarterfinals.
Advertisement
“We played a bunch of cowards”, Hope Solo said.
Solo’s gripe was that Sweden – under the guidance of Pia Sundhage, who had coached the USA team through the 2012 Olympics – had sat back for much of the game, content to let the Americans push the action.
“The best team did not win today”, she said.
Sundhage responded by saying: “It is okay to be (a) coward if you win”, while Swedish goalkeeper called Solo’s antics before the decisive penalty, where she attempted disruption by changing her gloves, an “act of panic”. “The best team did not win today”, she told the sports magazine, later confirming in a Tweet that she had made the comments after the match in Brasilia.
Sweden scored against the United States in 61 minutes when Stina Blackstenius ran on to a defense-splitting pass and calmly slotted the ball past US keeper Hope Solo. Certainly. Did they have some divine right to win it for having played the more majestic soccer? No.
Sundhage, who is Swedish, coached the USA from 2008 until 2012, when she became coach for Sweden.
“We played a creative game”.
The Swedes beat the US 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the quarterfinals. This team is not going to crumble. It’s been a busy couple of years.
Solo later told reporters that those comments came at a time when she was coping with the recent death of her father.
The frenetic finishes in the swimming pool capped a day that included a big escape by the US men’s basketball team and a stunning loss by the women’s soccer squad.
Stina Blackstenius put Sweden ahead after 61 minutes but the U.S equalized 16 minutes later through Morgan.
There wasn’t much action in the first half of extra time, save for Morgan’s shot from seven yards out in the 100th minute, saved well by Lindahl. As Lisa Dahlkvist, the Swedish midfielder, stepped up to try to hand the Swedes a quarterfinal victory.
The Americans (4-0) had been scoring at a record pace, topping 100 points in each of their first three contests – the first time a team’s done that at the Olympics.
Tamires converted her kick before Alanna Kennedy missed hers to send the home fans into raptures.
Sweden had won only five prior matches against the United States. In an illuminating few moments about 600 miles apart Friday, the world saw America at its best and worst. The last time the two teams met in the Olympics was at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
In the group stage, Brazil beat Sweden 5-1. “Well, usually – especially with the Americans – a good team is when they’re winning”.
Advertisement
Solo began this Olympic experience by taking her outrage to social media, where she voiced concern about the threat of the Zika virus. Solo posted a picture of herself in mosquito netting and armed with insect repellant. The Brazilians defeated Australia on penalties.
