Pia Sundhage, the coach of the Swedish team, used to be the head coach of the USA team. “Sweden didn’t play well in the group phase but the favourites must confirm its position on the pitch”, – USA’s exit came as a shock to many, including Germany coach Silvia Neid.
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“We played a bunch of cowards”, Hope Solo said. She then made two errors as the U.S. drew with Colombia in their final group game of the tournament. Solo called out Sweden as “cowards” for playing a defensive game, and declared the United States the better team, despite losing. “I strongly and firmly believe that”.
The US were dumped out of the competition on penalties against their Swedish counterparts and Solo said that on the night, the better side lost.
Solo, the US goalkeeper, was angered by Sweden’s defensive style and branded the team a “bunch of cowards”.
“I said to the players no words at this point are going to take away how they feel at this moment”, Ellis recounted.
From alleged domestic violence to coarse language, Solo has been in hot water before.
Sweden took the lead on 63 minutes through Stina Blackstenius, before Alex Morgan equalised with 13 minutes left. The teams were then scoreless through regulation and extra time, where each had a goal controversially disallowed.
Lisa Dahlkvist netted the winning penalty for the Swedes after Christian Press fired high over the bar with America’s fifth kick. “I am going to Rio, she’s going home”.
Hope Solo is “unlikely” to receive an official International Olympic Committee sanction over her comments describing Sweden’s women’s soccer team as “cowards”. “But they won, they moving on and we’re going home”.
Solo lets one through in Friday’s penalty shootout.
Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl stops a penalty during a penalty shootout in a quarter-final match of the women’s Olympic football tournament between the United States and Sweden in Brasilia Friday Aug. 12, 2016. Dunn created another half-chance, but it amounted to nothing and the game went to extra time.
Sundhage knows the US team well, having coached the Americans for five years.
After getting blasted by Solo after Friday’s match, Sundhage delivered a solid comeback: “I don’t give a crap”.
Solo’s Rio journey got off to rough start after the goalkeeper tweeted photos poking fun at Brazil’s Zika virus outbreak in July, months after she threatened to skip the Olympics entirely due to the disease.
Solo and Sundhage have a bit of history.
Solo has regularly courted controversy and Friday’s incident was not even her first in these Olympics.
Sweden are coached by Pia Sundhage who led the U.S. to victory in London 2012.
It’s curious, then, where Solo learned a tactic she used that was – at best – a breach of sportsmanship. Things happen around her. She’s looking to complete a sweep of the 200, 400 and 800 freestyles for the first time since the 1968 Mexico City Games. Brazilian fans taunted her with chants of “Zika” throughout the tournament.
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Asked to clarify, she said: “Sweden dropped off. I’m really bad at it”.
