The United States women’s soccer team was defeated 1-0 to Canada in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics, which eliminates the possibility of winning a gold medal on Aug. 2, 2021. However, if they win their next soccer game against Australia on Thursday, the World Cup champions might still claim bronze.
At halftime, the soccer game continued to remain goalless. Alyssa Naeher, the U.S. goalkeeper, was forced to leave the game in the 30th minute after colliding with Julie Ertz, a defender for the United States team. She “landed awkwardly on her right leg,” according to Team USA.
The two were attempting to block Canada’s ball in front of the American goal. Trainers worked on Naeher for at least four minutes while she lay down on the turf. She remained in the match for the next five minutes, but only briefly. The next time Naeher kicked the ball and raised her hand, she winced. Adrianna Franch, the backup goalkeeper, took her place and played the rest of the match.
United States protector Tierna Davidson had been called out for a foul after being shown in a video taking down a Canadian contestant in the American penalty area. Jessie Fleming of Canada scored on the next penalty kick 74 minutes into the game.
The team had multiple chances to score at least one point but were unable to do so. They had an inconsistent record in group play, with a loss to Sweden in the opener, a solid win over New Zealand, and a 0-0 draw against Australia.
The United States faced the Netherlands in the elimination tournament, the ruling European titleholder, and a squad, the Americans, defeated in the 2019 World Cup final.
A back-and-forth contest concluded in a 2-2 tie and was settled by a penalty kick shootout, with Megan Rapinoe’s final kick being the game-winner. Naeher was a champion in that game, making two crucial saves during penalty kicks.
Written by Ramses Sanchez Cantu
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Source:
NPR: The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Has Lost Its Shot At The Gold Medal
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Marquette University’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Clint Lalonde’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
