How did the US fare in the Women's World Cup? Unpacking USWNT's results

The United States women’s national soccer team's pursuit of a World Cup three-peat has ended.

The USWNT was knocked out of the World Cup after Sweden trumped the United States 5-4 on penalty kicks Aug. 4, eliminating the reigning champions in the Round of 16 for the first time in history.

The USWNT was trying for a third consecutive title, but Sweden is advancing to the quarterfinals match against Japan.

Here’s what to know about the USWNT’s journey in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Match 1: US vs. Vietnam

The USWNT defeated Vietnam 3-0 during the team’s opening match of the World Cup July 21 in Auckland, New Zealand. The victory against Vietnam marked their 13th consecutive win in the competition and solidified their record for most consecutive wins in the World Cup.

Sophia Smith led the team in her World Cup debut with two goals, bringing the team up 2-0 against Vietnam. Team captain Lindsey Horan further cemented the team’s win with a second-half goal.

With her two goals, Smith became the second-youngest player in the team’s history to score multiple goals in a World Cup game, following Cat Whitehill in 2003.

The rookie reflected on the “long build up” to her first World Cup match in a post-game interview, adding, “It felt really good to finally just get out there and play.”

Match 2: US vs Netherlands

The USWNT tied the Netherlands 1-1 during the team’s second match of the competition July 26 in Wellington, New Zealand.

Horan scored the USWNT’s sole goal when the team was down 0-1 to the Netherlands after the opposing team scored during the 17th minute of the match.

Match 3: US vs. Portugal

The USWNT advanced to the knockout round after a scoreless draw against Portugal Aug. 1 in Auckland, New Zealand.

In order to move onto the next round of competition, the USWNT had to avoid a loss. During stoppage time, Alex Morgan missed a shot on goal which was soon followed by an attempt made by Portugal’s Ana Capeta, though her shot hit the post.

Ashlyn Harris, former USWNT goalie, shared her thoughts on the match’s outcome on TODAY, explaining, “The players know the standard. It’s just not good enough right now.”

“But the thing is we’re moving forward,” she added. “We cannot push the panic button. There is no script to a World Cup. We continue building. We find our feet. We find our joy and passion. That’s why we play this game.”

Round of 16 

The USWNT faced a heartbreaking loss after a scoreless draw Aug. 6, with Sweden ultimately winning the match 5-4 on penalty kicks. World Cup matches can only end in a tie during the group stage games.

Kelley O’Hara, Sophia Smith and Megan Rapinoe all missed their penalty shots.

Though Alyssa Naeher believed she had saved the goal from Sweden’s Lina Hurtig, a video assistant referee showed that the ball had crossed the goal line, leading to the team’s loss and earliest World Cup exit in history.

Vlatko Andonovski defended his team following their loss and said they had put in their best effort during the World Cup.

“I know we were criticized for different moments in the group stage,” Andonovski said. “I think we came out today and showed what we’re all about, showed the grit, the resilience, the fight, the bravery.”

“I see the players in tears, it hurts. If I have to coach this and this team again, I’d do it all again," he added at a news conference.

Morgan told Fox Sports she was “devastated” after the team’s loss, likening it to a “bad dream.”

“I feel like we dominated,” she said, later adding, “It’s a tough one to swallow.”

What former players have said about the 2023 USWNT

Before the loss Aug. 4, former members of the USWNT spoke up about the team's World Cup performance, with some sharing more positive sentiments than others.

Carli Lloyd was initially critical of the USWNT following their draw against Portugal, taking issue with the players dancing and taking photos with fans in the crowd after the match.

“I have never witnessed something like that,” she said on Fox Sports. “There’s a difference between being respectful of the fans and saying hello to your family, but to be dancing, to be smiling — I mean, the player of the match was that post. You’re lucky to not be going home right now.”

Lloyd later clarified her statement and said that her criticism came from a place of admiration for the team.

“I want people to understand that I care deeply about this team,” Lloyd said on Fox Sports. “I poured my heart and soul into this team for 17 years and it was based off of a legacy that was just passed down from generation to generation, the mentality, the DNA of what makes that team so great.”

Tobin Heath and Christen Press spoke to People about the current team, with Press noting that the USWNT should be performing better.

“If every other top team in the world lost in the first round, we’re still not going to feel good about losing the first round,” she said. “We’re going to win no matter what the path is. We’re always going to expect that from ourselves, and the world is always going to expect that from the team. Where we are now, it’s true, we expect better.”

Heath said it was “worrisome” to hear that the team would celebrate after advancing in the competition via a draw with Portugal, adding, “That shouldn’t even be a thought that we’re glad to have made the Round of 16. That is the bottom bar. I mean, I don’t even know if that’s even an expectation. That’s where you should be.”

Abby Wambach stopped by TODAY July 27 and spoke about fan’s expectations of the USWNT.

“The problem is, we like to see our women’s team dominate and we don’t feel comfortable unless we are up by two or three goals,” Wambach explained. “And that’s just not going to be the way of the future because other teams are getting better, the other federations are putting so much more money into their programs … Every single team has to figure out how to define themselves in every world championship.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com