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The United States was knocked out of the World Cup by Sweden, in a match that
pitted the reigning champions against a hard-charging team on a winning streak.

The game closed out 120 minutes of regulation play without a goal, despite the
U.S. squad having several close calls. The even match-up continued into the
nerve-wracking penalty kicks, which themselves went into sudden death.

The odds leaned back and forth during the kicks, with both Sweden’s Nathalie
Björn and the U.S. star Megan Rapinoe missing their shots, which started a
string of four-straight missed kicks. After Sweden’s Rebecka Blomqvist shot was
saved, U.S.’s Sophia Smith missed her shot.




In the end, the ball crossed over the line after U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher
blocked Lina Hurtig's shot. Because she couldn't save it again, the game was
over. The final score was 5-4.

The U.S. squad were the favorites entering the tournament, having won the last
two World Cups, held in 2019 and 2015. They were also top of the pile in 1999
and 1991.




But their footwork in the group stage didn't equate to many goals, or victories.
They handily beat Vietnam in a 3-0 match, but their matches against the
Netherlands and Portugal both ended in draws.

They exited the group round with five points, trailing the Netherlands by two.
This was the first time in Women's World Cup history that the U.S. earned fewer
than six points during the group stage.




Sunday's match was the United States’ fourth-ever World Cup game to enter extra
time, with all three prior going all the way to penalties.



Swedish goalkeeper Zecira Musovic made a few big saves, including stopping a
strong charge by Alex Morgan in the final moment of regulation play.




The first half of play had been controlled by the U.S. team, which monopolized
possession and had at least two shots on goal to Sweden's zero. But the score
was nil-nil at the midway point.




By midway through the second half, Sweden began to apply more pressure, with
possession evening out. They put together a few set pieces that were closer to
success than they'd had previously, but they still struggled to finish.

The U.S. squad wasn't on its back foot, however, as they were still getting more
chances on goal than their rivals, with two more shots on target.

Sweden's first shot on goal came in the 85th minute.




Rapinoe, the star U.S. midfielder, entered the game in the eighth minute of
extra time, with the scoreboard still blank. She was a member of previous World
Cup-winning squads and this tournament is expected to be her last as a player.




Sweden, which was ranked third in the tournament, was the runner up in 2003,
their top placement since the initial 1991 tournament.

They topped their group with nine points after handily trouncing Argentina,
Italy and South Africa. Only two other teams, England and Japan, left the group
round undefeated.



MORE: FIFA investigating misconduct allegations involving Zambia at Women's
World Cup

The United States and Sweden have played each other in every Women's World Cup
since 2003.

"It wouldn't be a major tournament if we weren't facing Sweden," said Lindsey
Horan, the U.S. captain.




She and Sophia Smith have so far been the USWNT's leading scorers, each netting
two. No other player scored in the group stage. Rose Lavelle sat out the match
out after earning a yellow card accumulation suspension.




The Round of 16 match began at 7 p.m. local time, or 5 a.m. ET, at Melbourne
Rectangular Stadium.

The winner faces Japan in the quarterfinals.




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As entertaining as the brawl was on the diamond between Cleveland’s Jose Ramírez
and Chicago’s Tim Anderson, the play-by-call made by Cleveland’s radio voice Tom
Hamilton was just as spectacular.

Hamilton's 'blow-by-blow' call was so impressive as he switched gears from his
baseball radio voice to the tenor of an experienced announcer sitting ringside.

Chaos erupted in the sixth inning with the White Sox leading 5–1, following a
rather harmless RBI double by Ramírez. However, the White Sox shortstop
seemingly took issue with Ramírez’s slide.

As the players decided to square off, Hamilton changed hats and served up a
boxing breakdown that would have made legendary fighting voices Howard Cosell,
Al Bernstein and Jim Lampley extremely proud.




“José and Anderson square off. They’re fighting, They’re swinging. Down goes
Anderson. Down goes Anderson!” exclaimed an animated Hamilton.








Cleveland’s hometown voice, after a brief pause to catch his breath, recapped
the action for his radio listeners with absolute precision.

“Ramírez went in with a headfirst slide. José never gets upset about anything.
They came up chewing. Anderson squared off,” added Hamilton. “José decked him.”

The fight, which resulted in six ejections, had fans buzzing on social media.






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