The Story

The USWNT is officially out of the World Cup.

What happened?

Early this morning, the defending champions lost against Sweden, 5-4, in a penalty shootout that was this close. It's the USWNT’s earliest elimination ever in a World Cup. Many fans thought the US would secure a three-peat — something no nation (either on the men’s or women’s teams) has accomplished. But the road to another championship has been tougher than many — and maybe even the team — imagined. The US started the tournament with a 3-0 win over Vietnam. But the team barely made it to the knockout stage after games against the Netherlands and Portugal ended in a tie and draw, respectively. Now, the US is heading home.

What are people saying?

The loss comes amid a net of criticism from sports analysts, including former USWNT captain Carli Lloyd. They've pointed fingers at poor coaching and a lack of team chemistry (there are 14 new players on the US team) for the seemingly disjointed performance in the group stage. Meanwhile, some former players have alluded to the team’s possible priorities outside of competition, like social media followers and endorsement deals. The USWNT has defended itself, with co-captain Lindsey Horan calling the criticism “noise.” US coach Vlatko Andonovski praised his team’s “bravery” and “resilience” in the match against Sweden.