Perspective: The USWNT has known World Cup brilliance and World Cup dominance. Now comes the heartache.
. And felt by the fans who traveled across the globe, reworking their itineraries on the fly and fighting off jet lag just to get their hearts broken in a different hemisphere.This is what belief gone wrong looks like. Four married couples from Texas have been in Australia for about two weeks. Soccer-loving Greg Gipson was the master planner of the trip. At the last World Cup in France, his group attended every U.S. match. The U.S.
Neither did a single protest escape the loopy smiles worn by New York City friends Taylor Wells and Bri Cullimore. They sat in their seats, surviving on Red Bull and vibes after landing for their spontaneous trip to Melbourne Sunday morning. Their itinerary: New York to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Fiji, Fiji to Sydney, and Sydney to Melbourne … and Monday morning, they planned to leave Melbourne on a 6 a.m. flight, because this is what crazy looks like.“That’s how much!” Wells echoed.
This is the fervor that has fueled Team USA. And for 90 minutes, the Americans appeared as though they could feel all the passion and hope from their fans. Through 90 minutes, they were in control of a game they’ve owned for decades, well before this current roster had taken shape.The USWNT won its first World Cup when co-captain Alex Morgan was just two years old. Later, another iteration of the super program turned sports bra celebrations into a fad before Sophia Smith was even born.
But for a second straight match the United States never scored, opening the door for the game to be taken over by randomness and penalty kicks. And ultimately, heartache. In the 99th minute, when fans noticed the flash of pale blue hair, a roar reverberated throughout the stadium, for the great Rapinoe would be entering the match. An ovation worthy of a superhero, as though hiding beneath her bulky winter coat was some magic left over from 2019. But underneath that outerwear was just a 38-year-old woman who probably shouldn’t have taken all those corner kicks since they led to nothing.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
USWNT vs. Sweden: How to Watch Team USA's Next Women’s World Cup MatchDon't miss the US Women's National Team as they advance to the Women's World Cup knockout stage and go head-to-head against Sweden this Sunday in Melbourne.
Read more »
Women’s World Cup: USWNT slumps into knockout game against SwedenThe two-time defending champion Americans are struggling heading into Sunday’s Round of 16 match against the third-ranked Swedes, who they have met often in major tournaments.
Read more »
Women’s World Cup: Japan looks to continue its piping hot streak | August 5, 2023Today's Women's World Cup matches: Japan vs. Norway, Switzerland vs. Spain and Netherlands vs. South Africa. Here are the superstars to look for, the stories to follow and all the details on how to watch.
Read more »
Spain routs Switzerland 5-1 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Women's World CupAitana Bonmati has scored twice as Spain routed Switzerland 5-1 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup for the first time
Read more »
How bucket hats and bag clips help show the USWNT’s World Cup influenceThrough two weeks of games, this women’s World Cup has already brought booms in attendance, viewership, upsets — and a well-stocked array of jerseys, T-shirts, hats, scarves, pins and plush penguins.
Read more »
Spain thrashes Switzerland at Women's World Cup despite bizarre own goal | CNNSpain overcame a bizarre long-range own goal to thrash Switzerland 5-1 and advance to the Women’s World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday.
Read more »