TRANSCRIPT
The United States made history in the Women's World Cup, but not in the way they had hoped.
Playing against Sweden, the team lost five-four in a nail-biting penalty shootout after the game stood at nil-all after extra time.
This was how the final moments of the game were called on Optus Sport.
“And the World Cup shocks keep on coming. This one perhaps the biggest one of all. The United States of America unbeaten in finals action in over a decade are out of the tournament!"
It's the first time in Women's World Cup history that defending champions United States were defeated prior to the semi-finals, winning the inaugural tournament in 1991.
US coach Vlatko Andonovski says it was a devastating loss, but he's proud of his team's performance.
"Right now all I think about is the players. I see the players in tears and it hurts. And that's all I can think about. I thought the team defended very, very good. very proud of them and devastated for them that we have to go out the way we did. I thought that we deserved a lot more, we deserved to win this game. I thought we created enough to win this game. I thought that we put up a fight, a battle."
And it was a battle indeed, with the United States holding 58 per cent of ball possession and out-shooting the Swedes 21 to eight, with a staggering 11 shots on target compared to the Swedish team's one.
The Swedish team endured the attack for the full 110 minutes of play, keeping the game levelled at nil-all.
But it was Sweden goalkeeper, Zecira Musovic who emerged as the hero of the match, making all 11 saves prior to the penalty shootout and keeping her country in the match.
Musovic herself stayed humble, thanking the coaching staff and saying the win was a team effort.
"It was a good game from all of us. I think we as a team, we were well prepared from the coaching staff. I think we have the best coaching staff in the tournament, and which sets the tone and which gives us the opportunity to perform, and that was the case tonight.”
Sweden beat the United States five-four on penalties in a madcap shootout with both sides missing key shots.
Swedish forward Lina Hurtig struck the winning spot-kick, though U-S goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher parried the ball on the line and the result needed to be confirmed by V-A-R.
The moment was conveyed by commentators on Optus Sport.
"It's all on Lina Hurtig. Has it gone over the line? High drama, a stadium holds its breath. It's confirmed! We had to wait what seemed like an eternity but Lina Hurtig's effort had crept over the line by millimetres."
It was a delayed celebration, with fans for Sweden's national team saying the moment was heartstopping.
"My heart was in a....I don't know where it was actually, because it was so stressful. But wasn't it an awesome finish? And you had no idea really what would happen at the end, but then it just erupted and we won! Yeah, heja Sverige (go Sweden)!"
In one of the big surprises of the match, U-S football legend Megan Rapinoe missed a key penalty shot, launching the ball over the goal.
It was 38-year-old's last Women's World Cup performance ahead of her retirement at the end of the year.
She told E-S-P-N, it feels like a sick joke.
"It's a tough one and there's some dark comedy in me missing a penalty in my last game ever. It's a sick joke, I can't believe it. I never even hit them over ever when they're saved so... it's just how it goes."
It has been Rapinoe's fourth Women's World Cup, being a key player in the tournament-winning run of 2015 and 2019 - earning both the Golden Boot for top goal-scorer, as well as the Golden Ball award for best player of the tournament in 2019.
She's been seen as the figurehead for U-S football in recent years and her activism off the pitch, in particular for LGBTIQ+ rights and equal earnings for women football players has earned her widespread praise and - at times - condemnation.
US coach Andonovski sought to silence criticism of the star player following the penalty blunder, saying Rapinoe was just unlucky this time.
"Megan Rapinoe is a legend. If I had my life on the line right now and I had to pick who is going to take the penalty? Megan Rapinoe is going to be my first choice. Number one in the world, no question about it. You know, it's a game of soccer. Sometimes the ball is going to go two inches to the left or two inches to the right."
This US fan says it was not an easy match to watch.
"Oh just, I mean, it was heartbreaking, it's heavy, I think... I don't want to say disappointed, but in a way disappointed. But I know that the effort from the team was there and they did what they could and in the end I wish it would have been the better outcome, but that's it. But yeah, heartbreak I think."
This Friday, Sweden will go on to face Japan in the quarterfinals, a team who have been on a fierce winning streak this tournament, beating Norway three-one on Saturday night.
With top-ten teams the U-S, Germany, Spain, Canada and Brazil all eliminated - and with low-ranking teams like Nigeria, Jamaica, and World Cup-first timers Morocco still in the running - this Women's World Cup has become increasingly unpredictable.
The U-S' reign as the undisputed leader of global women's football is over...opening up the opportunity for another nation to be crowned champion.
Australia will be looking to grab that chance.
But first, they need to overcome Denmark in Monday’s knock-out match that could see their tournament hopes extinguished.
Spirits are high with captain Sam Kerr set to make her first appearance of the Women's World Cup.
Head coach of the Matildas Tony Gustavvson says the girls need to stay focused.
"We need to be extremely humble and realise that we need to be focused in every single second of that game tomorrow and be as solid defensively as we were against Canada because they have threats central, right and left and in very different ways. So, don't get rushed into thinking that this is going to be, yes, because of ranking or something else, an easier game because this is not. It's going to be a very, very tough game and we need to bring our A-game.”
