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The U.S. women’s football team were routed in their Olympic opener on Wednesday by Sweden, the same opponent that knocked them out of the Rio 2016 Games.
Sweden beat the Americans 3-0, a devastating start for the defending World Cup champions. The team hadn’t lost a game since January 2019, but Wednesday’s surprise before an empty stadium ended their 44-game unbeaten streak.
Stina Blackstenius scored a goal for Sweden in each half, one in the 25th minute and another in the 54th. Lina Hurtig completed the game with a final 72nd-minute goal, sealing the country’s victory over the United States
The United States entered the Tokyo Olympics in hopes of becoming the first women’s team to win Olympic gold after winning the Cup. The loss to Sweden makes things more difficult.
Ahead of the rematch, USA defender Becky Sauerbrunn said on Tuesday that the 2016 loss to Sweden was “one of the worst results the senior national team have had in a major tournament.”
“By playing this game I know how disappointed we have all been,” she told Reuters. “And for me, he started a fire.”
After Wednesday night’s game, Sauerbrunn said she believed the team could still win the gold medal.
“Bad night tonight so we have a lot of work ahead of us,” she said. “But I have faith that we can do it.”
The United States will face New Zealand on Saturday.
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