USWNT KNOCKED OUT OF WORLD CUP BY MILLIMETERS

It’s Sunday, August 6th. Give us four minutes, we give you everything World Cup.

MELBOURNE, Australia — In as dramatic a fashion as one can imagine, the back-to-back World Cup Champions have been knocked out of the 2023 World Cup in the Round of 16. This evening’s loss, coming after penalties falling 5-4 in Sweden’s favor, marks the earliest exit of all-time for the U.S. Women’s National Team.

That the loss arrived this soon for the USA feels unsurprising, given how tepid their performances have been, how unconvincing their setup, and how fierce the competition. But that this loss arrived on the back of a match in which they seemed the better team, finally cohesive, finally set up well, feels cruel.

But so goes the pace of life and football, and so it went tonight. While Sweden poked their head out with a few threatening counters, a few probing attacks, the US more or less held the brunt of the ball, the chances, the shots.

In no small measure, this evening would have gone a much different way had it not been for Sweden’s keeper, Zećira Mušović, named player of the match. Mušović ended 90 minutes plus extra time with eleven saves, halting a handful of incredible chances throughout the match from Lindsey Horan, Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and beyond.

As for the U.S., defensively, they were organized and mature in their setup, aggressive in their fight. Naomi Girma is perhaps the player of this tournament for the U.S., unflinching and unflappable as she defended beside Julie Ertz and progressed the ball forward from the backline. The sheer spectacle of her seamless leadership as a young player on this team carried through the match tonight as a bright light — among a few others — that shines toward the future that’s to come.

Other standouts of the evening include Emily Sonnett, who appeared in the starting lineup for her first-ever World Cup start and looked as though she’d always belonged there, a remarkable plug in the middle of the pitch. And Andi Sullivan, who’d fallen prey to rampant criticism in a setup that did her no favor, was an absolute warrior in the midfield tonight.

And finally Alyssa Naeher, once again, stepped up when she was called upon. She made her first save of the tournament in the 85th minute Sunday night, as the U.S. conceded just their second total shot on goal. As penalties arrived she was stoic and heroic on both ends of the penalties, as she herself even took one and crushed it in.

Oddly, the best performance for the US in this World Cup is the one in which they lost. But there’s much to look forward to, to build from. I’ve a feeling this tournament will turn toward the future with a more solid foundation — met by a more aggressive regeneration of all that needs to evolve — than we may presently expect.