You can find everything about the World Cup: Competition news, topics, Futistietäjä, program, results and statistics on ‘s World Cup website here.
Sweden advanced and reigning champion USA’s games ended in the World Cup on Sunday.
The playoff match between the two countries remained goalless during regular time and the overtime match, so the team advancing to the quarterfinals had to be decided by penalty kicks.
After the third leaders, the United States was in the “eleven meter” neck, but a cult player Megan Rapinoe after an unsuccessful bet, the direction of the reigning champion changed when Sweden’s goal ended the match Zećira Mušović looked the best.
In the end, Sweden was better in penalty kicks with 5–4 goals. Until the next place is decided Lina Hurtig’s the bet bounced into the goal by the US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher of the fight. Accepting the goal depended on millimeters and the referee’s decision could wait for itself.
Commenting on the match on ‘s broadcast Matti Härkönen could not stay in his chair. Uncertainty prevailed both in the stadium, in the commentary room and in the home stands.
– Now there’s drama, now there’s drama! My heart literally stops, Härkönen laments.
The goal was viewed from images of goal line technology.
– Apparently the clock didn’t vibrate…
Härkönen didn’t hesitate to continue his sentence when the match was judged by the Frenchman Stephanie Frappart said that the ball went completely in the goal with his hands.
– Apparently it’s a goal, the ball hits the goal and Sweden celebrates!
You can watch and listen to the solution goal and the reactions in the video that is the main picture of the story.
You could only conclude one thing from the looks of the US players: “Did we just fall out of the playoffs?”
Reigning champion USA is out of the World Cup. Its games ended in the first playoff round.
The slow-motion images of the finish line technology told the story of the champion who dominates his harsh language.
– Is not real. There’s maybe a milli or two in it. This has not been seen in football history, Härkönen said confused about the commentary.
The Swedish media immediately went into a frenzy
The Swedish press immediately took joy out of the defeat of the reigning champion.
In the first reactions of the media, the attention was focused on rejoicing over the victory and securing the next place. For example SVT beamed from the Swedish competition sky: “After the senseless fan drama, according to the media, the team is ready for the quarterfinals of the games.”
The hair-thin acceptance of the decisive penalty shot made headlines completely out of context. Aftonbladet referred to the uncertainty of the end of the match and the emotional charge that followed, in the words of Hurtig, who pulled the decisive punch: “I didn’t understand anything”.
Aftonbladet is also especially glowing about the hero goalkeeper Mušović.
– Oh my god, wow, magic. She was a superwoman in goal, for the Swedish team Kosovare Asllani amazed.
Also the head coach of the USA Vlatko Andonovski joined the praise choir.
– I believe that he was one of the reasons, if not the main reason, for Sweden’s place in the next round. He was fantastic and made a couple of saves that not many goalkeepers in the world can do. I can’t think of any other reason why we’re out.
Expressen on the other hand, told on his website about the evenness of the match and the millimeter drama of the penalty kick decision, which eventually sent the blue and yellow team to the next round.
– Ready for the quarterfinals after a lot of confusion: “We thank the gods,” Expressen headlined.
About the players Magdalena Eriksson pointed out that the USA was the dominant and multiple world champion, but now “small little Sweden beat the big USA”.
Jonna Andersson told of the confusion as referee Frappart waited to decide whether or not the ball went in the goal in the deciding penalty.
– Marginally… that was all that was needed today. It was a moment, it was very confusing when we didn’t know what the referee was going to decide.
In addition to the continuation place in Sweden Dagens Nyheter also took hold of the United States’ competition scene and described the country’s fall as a historic fiasco.
You can find everything about the World Cup: Competition news, topics, Futistietäjä, program, results and statistics on ‘s World Cup website here.