USWNT coach blames bad luck for team's World Cup exit to Sweden on penalties

U.S. women's national team head coach Vlatko Andonovski has blamed luck for the Star and Stripes' earliest exit in World Cup history after its Round of 16 elimination at the hands of Sweden, suggesting that soccer 'can be cruel sometimes'.

Following the 5-4 loss on penalties in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, which included misses from Megan Rapinoe, Kelly O'Hara and Sophia Smith, the 46-year-old, who's been in charge of the USWNT since 2019, said at first that he's 'so proud of the team' in his post-match comments to Fox Sports.

'I know that we were criticized for the way we played and I know we were criticized for different moments throughout the group stage but I think we came out today and we showed what we were all about,' added Andonovski in response to criticism that several players stay quiet when the national anthem is played before each game.

'We showed grit, resilience, fight and bravery. We showed everything that we could to win the game and unfortunately soccer can be cruel sometimes.'

Goalkeeper Zecira Musovic was the hero for Sweden, keeping scores deadlocked at 0-0 despite her side being totally outplayed by the tournament-favourite Americans for two hours.

Lina Hurtig scored the deciding spot kick in dramatic circumstances to settle a gripping shootout, which also saw the Swedes miss two penalties through Rebecka Blomqvist and Nathalie Bjorn.

Hurtig's low shot floated upwards after being blocked by U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who then swatted the ball away, and was initially ruled not to have crossed the line.

But that decision was overruled on review, sparking wild scenes among the Swedish players and fans at a packed AAMI Park in Melbourne.

Asked to reveal what he said to his players in the huddle to the buildup of the drama surrounding the last spot kick of the shootout, Andonovski said: 'The message is ''this is something that we've worked on. This is something that we're ready for.''

'We've been working on penalties for the last nine-ten months, something like that and it's just that sometimes, you know, you're not going to hit the right one.'

Sunday's loss is the first time the US have been beaten before the semi-final stage, while Sweden advance to face Japan in a quarter-final in Auckland on Friday.

It remains to be seen whether there will be a head coaching change and a shift in players and culture, now that the Americans have made history for all the wrong reasons after their early World Cup exit.

'First, we look at this team. Five players who started the game are first-timers at the tournament,' Andovoksi said. 'Naomi Girma, Emily Fox, Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman....these are players that will be here for years and tournaments to come.

'This tournament is great experience for them and I think they'll dominate the next one together with other players who, unfortunately, couldn't make it like Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario...

'This team's got a very bright future and I'm glad we could give them the opportunity that we did.'

Winners of the last two World Cups in France and Canada, the U.S. will next grace the pitch in September against South Africa in a friendly.