U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Through To Olympic Quarter-Final Despite Stalemate With Australia

Tom Grater
·1 min read

The U.S. women’s national soccer team’s Olympic dream continues despite a dreary 0-0 draw with Australia early this AM.

The four points accrued by the USWNT sees them finish second in their group, courtesy of a superior goal difference to Australia, and they progress automatically into the knockout stages. Australia is also likely to go through as one of the best third-placed teams.

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Sweden, one of the form teams of the tournament so far, beat New Zealand earlier today to make it three-from-three and leave them top of the group with a maximum nine points.

In the quarter-finals, the U.S. will face either the Netherlands or Brazil, depending on results later today. Those two nations are both well fancied and played out a thrilling 3-3 draw earlier in the week. Orlando Pride striker Marta, the Brazilian icon and one of the greatest women to ever play the game, scored a penalty in that match.

The No. 1 ranked U.S. team has bounced back from a shock 0-3 opening game defeat to Sweden, who have strolled through the group stage; that was the USWNT’s first loss since January 2019, a run that stretched 44 games.

The Americans turned it around with a heavy 6-1 defeat of New Zealand but the stalemate with Australia (known as the “matildas”) may again ask questions of the pre-tournament favorites. However, coach Vlatko Andonovski and his players high-fived and celebrated at the end of the game – it’s job done until the quarter-final on July 30 at 4AM PT.

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