AUCKLAND, New Zealand — The Americans got here into the Women’s World Cup because the two-time defending champions and event favorites.

By the top of the group stage, they're relieved to nonetheless be within the competitors.

“That was stressful. I was like (expletive),” stated United States star Megan Rapinoe, utilizing a curse phrase to explain her feelings after the staff squeezed into the knockout stage with a 0-0 draw in opposition to Portugal on Tuesday.

Had Portugal substitute Ana Capeta’s shot gone into the web relatively than hit the put up and rebounded out in stoppage time, the Americans might need been eradicated.

As it's, they're advancing in second place behind the Netherlands.

A blast of reduction ran by each American participant, coach and fan in Eden Park when the ultimate whistle sounded.

While they is probably not taking part in their greatest in the intervening time, the U.S. gamers have been fast to level out after the sport that they're, actually, nonetheless taking part in.

“We’re not happy with the performance we put out there, but at the same time we’re moving on,” Alex Morgan stated. “This isn’t the first time in my career that we’ve moved on second in the group.”

The final time the United States didn’t win its group was 2011, when the Americans completed second to Sweden earlier than finally dropping to Japan on penalty kicks within the remaining.

This time round, the back-to-back defending champions scored simply 4 targets through the three-game group stage. And the three targets have been scored of their event opener in opposition to Vietnam.

The 2019 United States staff greater than tripled that quantity in its group-stage opener in opposition to Thailand, which it received 13-0 in a report for targets in a match at a Women’s World Cup.

“We trust our forwards, we trust our players to get it done. We haven’t in the group stage –- and that’s on us,” defender Julie Ertz stated. “Once it gets to the knockout stages, you kind of become a different team. It’s just do or die at that point.”

Part of the Americans’ drawback has been accidents.

U.S. ahead Mallory Swanson missed the event with a torn patellar tendon suffered in April in a pleasant versus Ireland. Prior to that, Swanson was the United States’ main scorer, and netted 4 of the staff’s 5 targets on this yr’s SheBelieves Cup.

But on Tuesday evening, the gamers weren’t making excuses.

“I think we can create better chances to get a goal,” ahead Lynn Williams stated. “But at the end of the day, it’s one of those things where you turn the page and you have to learn and grow really quick because you have no time to dwell on this.”

The United States will doubtless play Sweden within the spherical of 16 on Sunday in Melbourne, Australia.

Sweden at the moment sits undefeated on prime of Group G. In order for the date between the United States and Sweden to fall by, Sweden must lose to Argentina, and Italy must beat South Africa by a big margin to beat the present 10-goal aim distinction between the 2 groups.

The Swedes are acquainted foes for the Americans, and one other matchup could be the seventh time the 2 international locations have performed within the Women’s World Cup. Sweden beat the United States 3-0 within the group stage of the Tokyo Olympics.

“I feel like we always play them. We know them so well,” Ertz stated. “They’ve been great this tournament, so I’m excited. You always want to play against the best and I’m so excited to play them and show them what we have.”

__

Zach Allen is a scholar within the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.

___

AP World Cup protection: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup

Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC.

Content Source: www.washingtontimes.com