US Woman’s Soccer Team Struggling Through Tournament
The once-mighty United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) continues to stumble through the Women’s World Cup this year, barely squeaking by with a 0-0 draw against Portugal on Tuesday. It has been the third consecutive performance marred by disappointment and lack of energy and passion, a far cry from the games fans are accustomed to seeing.
The USWNT dropped into dead last in Group E during the tie with Portugal, playing to a dismal 0-0 draw while the Netherlands scored a solid 7-0 win against Vietnam. This marks the second time in the tournament that the USWNT has not come out on top of its own group.
“We’re disappointed in ourselves,” said USWNT player Rose Lavelle, “But we have another game to focus on. We made it through, so we can put our energy towards that now.”
But former USWNT player Carli Lloyd had no sympathy for the current USWNT lineup, specifically calling out head coach Vlatko Antonovski for what she called “uninspired” performances with “no passion” from the team. Antonovski quickly fired back, calling Lloyd’s comments “insane” and vigorously defending the desire of the team to win.
If the USWNT does not make it out of the next round, it could well be the final match of extreme left-wing activist and USWNT captain Megan Rapinoe’s career. Rapinoe’s retirement at the end of the season also kicks off what could be an ignominious end for the USWNT, as they have already drawn the ire of Americans by protesting during the U.S. national anthem.
Last week, fans were appalled when the team refused to join in the singing of the anthem, leaving some standing with hands over hearts and a few singing, with most staying silent and not acknowledging the song.
Though the outlook is grim and is looking more unlikely that the USWNT will put up any real challenge in the World Cup, the USWNT has one final shot to prove they can still be formidable contenders in the women’s soccer world. It’s unclear yet who they will face in the next round, but there is a chance they could encounter their old rival Sweden, who beat the USWNT in Tokyo two years ago. All that’s left is to see if the USWNT can turn their fortunes around and prove they still have enough fight in them to gain an edge over the competition.
It doesn't get much closer than this pic.twitter.com/OdiVCvQkaY
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 1, 2023