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The United States Women’s National Team kicked off their campaign for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on Wednesday with a 3-0 loss to Sweden at Tokyo Stadium in Japan, ending their 44-game unbeaten streak.
Ahead of the game, this clash was billed as one of the most competitive matches, pitting the World Cup-winning USWNT against the Olympic silver medalists Sweden and the squad that eliminated the States. United in 2016.
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Fifth-placed Sweden put the pressure on almost immediately with three shots in the first eight minutes, before Stina Blackstenius gave them the lead in 25th from a center by Sofia Jakobsson.
USWNT goal Alyssa Naeher had to make five first-half saves to prevent Sweden from increasing their advantage. Midfielder Rose Lavelle almost equalized with a 45th-minute header from a Christen Press corner, but hit the post.
USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski reacted to his side’s poor performance in the first half by making two changes at the break. Julie Ertz and Carli Lloyd were introduced in place of Alex Morgan and Sam Mewis.
However, the quadruple Olympic gold medalists fell behind in the 54th minute when Blackstenius scored his second of the game, scoring from a rebound from a corner.
A third substitution was made by the USWNT after 64 minutes as Megan Rapinoe replaced Tobin Heath. Soon after, Rapinoe forced a save from Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl.
The press hit a post for the USWNT in the 72nd minute as they tried to rally, but Lisa Hurtig added a third goal for Sweden moments later, with a header in the net, to secure the victory. .
With 10 minutes remaining, Andonovski rolls the dice one last time, replacing Crystal Dunn and Lavelle with Tierna Davidson and Kristie Mewis.
Rio’s loss in 2016 marked the USWNT’s first outing in Olympic history, having reached the final in every edition of the Games since 1996, when the women’s event was introduced.
The two teams drew 1-1 in a friendly in April, the only downside to the United States’ 2021 record of 11 wins in 12 matches and a warning warning of the challenges the team would face in kicks off in Tokyo in 2020.
The defeat was the United States’ first under Andonovski, who succeeded Jill Ellis in 2019.
The USWNT’s next stop in Group G will be New Zealand on Saturday before they wrap up their group matches against Australia on Tuesday.
Reuters information was used in this report.
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