The best teams in the world have to deal with inferior opposition that bunkers in and defends. A physical game. Exactly what they wanted. They won’t even play for a medal in Rio.
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So Sundhage, a Swede, knew how to approach the talented American squad, which still has numerous same players from four years ago, including Solo.
The U.S. women’s soccer team had their temperaments tested by a savvy, conservative Sweden in the Olympic quarterfinals, and lost. On Friday, they dominated play against a team no one thought was their match, and yet, after 90 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of overtime, all they could show for their efforts was a 1-1 tie. But they couldn’t get into an offensive rhythm for the first 20 minutes against their northern neighbors.
In the 77th minute, the US found its goal off a Sweden mistake. Morgan answered 16 minutes later after corralling a lucky bounce off a Swedish defender’s face.
Goalkeeper Hope Solo dismissed her opponents as “cowards” following the US women’s team 4-3 loss to Sweden on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw.
“Sweden dropped off”, Solo said when asked why she called them “cowards”.
Before the US and Sweden played in last summer’s World Cup, Sundhage called Solo a “piece of work” while acknowledging her vast talent. NBC’s color commentator Arlo White called the move “savvy”. Mallory Pugh was barely in high school the last time the Americans scored against a Swedish team. Only Norway has been able to stop the USA string of golds, winning at the 2000 Sydney Games.
Solo is no stranger to the world stage, having helped lead Team USA to victory 2008 and 2012 while brining hold Federation Internationale de Football Association gold in 2015, but, on Friday, her flippant comments garnered more press than her talents on the field.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl, the goalkeeper slammed the Swedish players when speaking to reporters after the match in an unsportsmanlike fashion. “To call them cowards for playing a tactically smart game is ridiculous and classless, and it really doesn’t represent the house that we built with the USA team”. “Losing sucks. I’m really bad at it”.
There’s also a long history and tradition of the USA national team giving Solo second, third, and eighth chances on account of her tremendous talent in the net. “I also think we played a bunch of cowards”.
On the women’s side Katie Ledecky completed the sweep by winning the 800 freestyle in 8:04.79 – beating her own world-record time – to become the second woman in history to win the 200, 400 and 800 freestyle races at the same Olympics. But Solo jumped on social media and corroborated the reporting. It was Morgan’s team-leading 13th goal of the year.
When Iceland battled back to draw with Portugal at Euro 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo decried their small-time mentality. The 35-year-old Solo might be as arrogant as Ronaldo.
Then, with the teams tied at four goals apiece Press sent her shot over the goal. But those days are gone.
Hope Solo (1) of the United States smiles after the second half of the United States’ 2-0 first round Rio 2016 group G match win over New Zealand on August 3, 2016. She’ll be almost 38 when the next World Cup rolls around. Let’s face it: For every shiny marketing moment and big victory she’s been a part of, she’s given the US a nasty unwanted drama.
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U.S. sourpuss Hope Solo launched a bitter attach at Sweden and the coach who helped her win TWO Olympic golds after they sent America crashing out of Rio 2016. After the recent departures of veteran players Abby Wambach, Shannon Boxx, Christie Rampone, and Lauren Holiday, the team is shifting toward younger players. “I’m going to Rio, she’s going home”.
