They’d taken radically different journeys to this stage. The Swedes had romped through their group,the Americans scraped through theirs;but for a Portugal shot that hit a post late,they would not have been here at all. But that was already history. This face-off,though scoreless,was anything but featureless.
It was a robust and rousing encounter,informed by the nervous,desperate urgency of a knockout stakes. Referee Stephanie Frappart was collateral damage;she was hit twice by balls,once in the face. A round of 16 exit was always going to be a fail for either of these teams,and yet it was inescapable for one.
Sweden began brightly,forcing Naeher to palm a couple of threatening corners off the goal-line. But the Americans assiduously worked their way in the contest and by the end of the half were swarming all over the Swedes.
Goalkeeper Musovic made a couple of sharp saves,including one from Trinity Rodman from almost point-blank range,and a Horan header beat her,but clipped the crossbar. Elsetimes,defenders got timely feet or torsos in the way.
Musovic was twice more the heroine at the start of the second half,beating out a blast from Horan,then saving one-on-one with Sophia Smith (who was offside anyway,but no one knew it then). Substitute Sofia Jakobsson forced Naeher into a close-range save before Musovic was at it again,palming out a Morgan header inside the six-yard box.
Nathalie Bjorn and her Sweden teammates celebrate a win for the ages.Credit:Getty Images
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The US dominated possession 50 per cent to 33 and over the course of the game had three times as many shots. That counts now for the same amount as their scoreline:zero.
In extra time,it was more of the same as Musovic and her reflexes denied Morgan at the near post and substitute Lynn Williams when in the clear,then denied Williams again. The US introduced the legendary Rapinoe from the substitute’s bench,but not even she could find a chink.
Briefly,the US were ahead of the count in the shootout,but this would not be their night,nor their year. They’ve led the way in women’s football,but as the competition intensifies will wonder at the monster they have created.
All this was for the delectation of another full and fully absorbed house,adding to a succession of them in this tournament as it seizes the public imagination. Call us what you like,but don’t call us indifferent to sport.
How full? Put it this way:when a couple of cubicle doors in a men’s toilet opened at half-time,out came two women,offering hasty general thank yous as they scurried away. This was a night for getting the job done.
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