Sweden send holders US spinning out of World Cup after penalty drama

MELBOURNE: The US’ long reign as Women’s World Cup holders was brought to an end in the most dramatic fashion as they were dumped out on penalties by Sweden, who joined the Netherlands in reaching the quarterfinals on Sunday.

Sweden face Japan in the last eight as the drama and shocks just kept coming at the tournament in Australia and New Zealand. The Netherlands beat South Africa 2-0 and meet Spain.

Their last-16 defeat after the game ended 0-0 after 120 minutes was the US’ earliest exit in their Women’s World Cup history and leaves European champions England now the firm favorites.

“Just devastated, feels like a bad dream,” veteran striker Alex Morgan, for so many years one of the faces of the all-conquering Americans, told Fox Sports.

The USA have long been the dominant force in international women’s football: they have won the World Cup four times and were chasing an unprecedented third title in a row.

Vlatko Andonovski’s side were the better team against Sweden in Melbourne but they could not beat goalkeeper Zecira Musovic and then lost their nerve in the penalty shootout.

Megan Rapinoe, a two-time World Cup winner who was desperate to end her career with another title, missed her spot-kick before the Swedes sealed the deal 5-4 on sudden-death penalties.

Even then the end was excruciatingly tense. US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher thought she had saved Lina Hurtig’s kick but VAR ruled it had just crossed the line.

Cue belated pandemonium among the Sweden squad and tears for the Americans who, despite dominating large periods of the game, just never got going at this World Cup.

They were held 1-1 by the Netherlands in the group phase in a rerun of the 2019 final and likewise 0-0 by debutants Portugal, meaning