2023-08-06 15:03:41
Double reigning world champions, the Americans suffered the earliest elimination in their history on Sunday, falling on penalties once morest Sweden (0-0, 5-4).
An earthquake. By losing on penalties once morest Sweden in the round of 16 (0-0, 5-4 pens), Sunday August 6, the American team experienced one of its greatest disappointments. Never, at the World Cup, had she ranked further than third place. THE Stars and Stripes had not even experienced a setback in the competition since the final of the 2011 edition, also lost on penalties once morest Japan.
So many arguments that placed the Americans, in search of a third consecutive world title, among the favorites this summer. But this failure had already been brewing for a while, warning signs having been reported as early as 2021 at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo, where they had been sharply beaten in the first round by this same Sweden (3-0), before failing in the semi-finals. Last fall, they also conceded three consecutive defeats once morest England, Spain and Germany. A series more seen in 29 years.
The end of a golden generation
As in these previous hitches, the executives already present in 2019 did not weigh in Oceania. Alex Morgan (34) did not score, missing a penalty once morest Vietnam. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher (35) had just one save in four games while Kelley O’hara (35) emulated legendary Megan Rapinoe – who will retire at 38 in November – by missing her shot on goal once morest Sweden.
In anticipation, the national coach Vlatko Andonovski had nevertheless made the bet to rejuvenate his aging group, even if it meant taking away players without much experience at the World Cup, like the holders Trinity Rodman and Savannah DeMelo, the latter having no selection at the A. But from the group stage, we understood that the transplant would be difficult to take. The United States even came close to disaster when their second place, already disappointing for their standards, was only held by a post from the Portuguese in the last meeting.
“Against Portugal, we saw panic. We wondered what was going on. Since the start of the tournament, the Americans didn’t seem to be coordinated at all. They were a lot of players who were excellent individually, but who failed to work together”Judge Jen Cooper, a specialist in women’s soccer and a member of the American Soccer Historical Society.
Victims of the rising world level
But this early elimination is not only due to a poor performance by the reigning double world champions. Long lonely on the top of the world stage, the United States – which still passed a 13-0 to Thailand four years ago – have also been victims of a narrowing of the gap between the selections. “The quality has progressed at such a speed… We want to stay at the top, but we have to prove it once more every time”said Alex Morgan, before the round of 16.
“For a long time, the Americans had advantages with their highly developed university system. But thanks to the development of young people, due in particular to the establishment of competitions for hopefuls, the other nations have caught up with them.”
Jen Cooper, the stories you soccer
at franceinfo: sport
With this elimination, a cycle ends within the selection of the United States. But in the continuity of the establishment of a World Cup with 32 nations, it is also a cycle of domination of international women’s football which is coming to an end.
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