U.S. women’s coach said team deserved to win

The United States Women’s National Team played what was probably its best and most complete match of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, but it was not enough as the team fell to Sweden in a penalty kick shootout early Sunday morning.

They dominated the game for 120-plus minutes but were unable to take advantage of the many opportunities they created. And so, their run in this tournament came to a premature end. The U.S. women were looking to win their third consecutive World Cup, after doing so in 2015 and 2019, but they were ousted by Sweden after another showing in which they failed to score a goal during regulation.

The U.S. had scored just one goal during regulation since defeating Vietnam 3-0 in the opening round of the group stage. They converted four of their penalties during Sunday’s shootout, but again it wasn’t enough.

Despite the lackluster showing in New Zealand and Australia, U.S. women’s coach Vlatko Andonovski felt strongly about his team’s performance. He said in the post-game press conference that he believed his team deserved to advance to the next round of the World Cup.

“I’m very proud of them and devastated for them that they would have to go out the way we did…I thought that we deserved to win this game,” Andonovski said via Fox Sports soccer reporter, Doug McIntyre.

“I’m so proud of the team. I’m so proud of the women on the field,” Andonovski told Fox Sports’ Jenny Taft following the loss to Sweden. “I know we were criticized for the way we played. I know we were criticized for different moments in the group stage. I think we came out today and showed what we were all about…We showed everything that we could to win the game, and unfortunately, soccer can be cruel sometimes.

Yes, it can be. And even if the USWNT deserved to win, their time at the 2023 Women’s World Cup has come to a close.

[Fox Soccer, Doug McIntyre on Twitter]