The sport joined the Olympics at the 1996 Atlanta Games, with the US winning the first gold medal.
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After that she returned to her homeland, with Jill Ellis taking charge of the American side for its awe-inspiring title at the Women’s World Cup in Canada last summer. Lloyd and Sweden’s Schelin both had goals disallowed during the extra period, to set up the nail-biting finish from the penalty spot.
Even as another round of rain made for a steamy day once the skies cleared in Rio de Janeiro, South America’s first Olympic Games lingered under clouds of grief, doping and disrespect.
I thought that we played a courageous game. In the 115th minute, the Americans thought they had the lead when a header from Lloyd found the back of the net, but Lloyd was deemed to have committed a foul and the goal was waived off. I’m very proud of this team.
“The best team did not win today”, she said, according to Sports Illustrated. I strongly, firmly believe that. “You saw us give everything we had today”, she told reporters. I think it was very cowardly. “They didn’t want to open play”, Solo said.
“It is OK to be a coward if you win”, said Sundhage, who coached the Americans to Olympic success in 2008 and 2012.
Tamires converted her kick before Alanna Kennedy missed hers to send the home fans into raptures.
Sundhage’s reply to Solo’s comments?
Even before the Olympics began, Solo had alienated herself from the Brazilian people by posting photos of herself wearing an elaborate mosquito mask and also a photo with dozens of bottles and cans of insect repellant with the caption #zikaproof #roadtoRio. She was accused of domestic violence by her sister and nephew two years ago, a case that is still making its way through the court system. “Zika!” almost every time she touched the ball in the opening match against New Zealand. So Solo’s criticism might have been directed more at her former coach than the Swedish team.
“I didn’t want to be the focus of attention in that way”, said Marta.
In the 77th minute, the US found its goal off a Sweden mistake.
Julie Johnston returned to the starting lineup for the us after missing the team’s last two matches with a groin strain. It was not to be.
While most of the team took the high road toward the exit, blaming themselves and crediting Sweden, goalkeeper Hope Solo took another route. They dropped into a 50. “They didn’t want to open play”.
Brown, along with the rest of Carroll’s soccer players and coaches, can relate to the feeling of losing in penalty kicks. It was a combative game, a physical game. “They look at their personnel and they determine a game plan based on that”.
You may not like Sweden’s bunker-like style of play, but it’s a sound strategy against a team with risky strikers like the Americans. And goalkeeper Hope Solo was seething over Sweden’s tactics, calling the team “a bunch of cowards”.
Kevin Durant grabbed the rebound to keep the Americans unbeaten 48 hours after they barely escaped against Australia. But they could never get enough space or opportunity to create the equalizer, either in regulation or overtime.
The best teams in the world have to deal with inferior opposition that bunkers in and defends. But for once they didn’t go the whole way through.
It has played worse and won on many occasions.
USA men eliminated from medal contention: After winning silver in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the past two Games have been hard on the US men’s team. And at the end of the day we won the game and that’s what all counts. “It’s OK to be a coward if you win”.
Stina Blackstenius put Sweden ahead on Friday after 61 minutes but the United States equalised 16 minutes later through Alex Morgan. Stefan Henze, a canoe slalom silver medalist at the 2004 Games, underwent emergency surgery in a Rio de Janeiro hospital. Nearly immediately, Lotta Schelin of Sweden also scored, but had it called back for an offside (she wasn’t even close to being offside). Horan made a big contribution, neatly tucking a penalty kick inside the left post for the USA’s first score in the shootout.
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In a cheesy bit of gamesmanship, Solo changed gloves before Lisa Dahlkvist stepped up for the fifth round of the shootout. And while not tested much throughout the contest, the back four and keeper Hope Solo extinguished any chances when the counter-attacking Swedes went forward.
