The U.S. Women’s National Team is limping badly through the Women’s World Cup this year and on Tuesday barely eeked by to advance to the next round with a pitiful 0-0 tie against Portugal.
Portugal almost made the lone score in the game when a goal attempt bounced off the goalpost instead of going into the net. But Tuesday’s lackluster game has been the norm for the USWNT’s play at this year’s World Cup. The U.S. performance was the “third straight uninspired performance that registered as the worst of this World Cup,” according to the New York Post.
The USWNT’s efforts have been so bad the team is finishing this round way back in group E, as the Netherlands pushed ahead with a 7-0 win against Vietnam.
The paper adds that it is likely that the U.S. will next face Sweden, which beat the U.S. women in Tokyo two years ago.
Former USWNT star Carli Lloyd blasted current players, specifically head coach Vlatko Antonovski, for the team’s lackluster performance against Portugal.
Lloyd also said she’s “not seeing that passion” people are accustomed to seeing from the USWNT.
Antonovski fired back at Lloyd, calling her comments “insane.”
“The one thing I want to say is that this team wanted to win this game more than anything else,” he told reporters. “They’ve put everything they could in preparation for this tournament and every game that they go into, so to question the mentality of this team, to question the willingness to win, to compete, I think it’s insane.
Lynn Williams, #6 of the United States, reacts during the second half of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group E match between Portugal and USA at Eden Park on August 01, 2023, in Auckland, New Zealand. (Carmen Mandato/USSF/Getty Images )
It is only the second time the USWNT has not won their group and has fallen among lesser teams in the drive for the World Cup.
“We’re disappointed in ourselves,” Rose Lavelle told Fox Sports. “But we have another game to focus on. We made it through, so we can put our energy towards that now.”
If the U.S. does not survive the next round and is forced to go home without being a contender, it will mark an ignominious end for one of its only well-known players as team captain and extreme, left-wing activist Megan Rapinoe — who is retiring at the end of this season — will go out on the bottom with a failed World Cup appearance.
The USWNT already drew the ire of Americans by once again mounting an anti-American protest during the playing of the U.S. national anthem during this year’s world cup.
Last week, Americans heaped abuse on the U.S. women when they stood silent and grim-faced while the national anthem was played during their game against the Netherlands.
A few players held their hands over their hearts, and a couple sang along, but most stood stone-faced and refused to acknowledge the anthem.
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