USWNT, looking lost at the World Cup, advances with an uninspired draw (2024)

“It’s not like we played well, by any means,” Coach Vlatko Andonovski said. “We all know it’s not good enough. We’re not happy with our performance, but we qualified for the next round. We’re moving on.”

That was the only positive for the world’s top-ranked team to take from a distressing match against a first-time World Cup participant that the United States had beaten in all 10 previous meetings without conceding a goal.

How close did the United States come to the earliest elimination in program history? In second-half stoppage time, substitute Ana Capeta hit the right post with a low bid from the top of the box. Had that gone in, the Americans would’ve been eliminated. In eight previous tournaments, they have never been ousted before the semifinals.

“We know we can be better,” left back Crystal Dunn said. “It’s not like everyone’s sitting there like, ‘Wow, that was the most amazing performance we put together.’ But that’s where you have to dig deep. That’s what it takes to win a World Cup. It’s not easy to do this. Right now we are very fortunate to have another opportunity to put on a great performance.”

This was far from great — again. The U.S. team finished with a 1-0-2 record and five points, one point ahead of Portugal (1-1-1), which could only advance from the four-team group by winning Tuesday.

The Netherlands (2-0-1) won the group with seven points. Even if the United States had won Tuesday, it would’ve lost the first tiebreaker (goal differential) to the Dutch, who blasted winless Vietnam, 7-0.

The only other time the United States failed to win its group was 2011, when it parlayed a second-place finish into a championship match appearance. This year marks the first time it has failed to win at least two of the three group matches.

“We’re disappointed in the way we played,” captain Lindsey Horan said. “Portugal made it really difficult on us. They wanted it bad. They had full belief, and I think we need a little bit more belief when we’re playing. We need to be more calm. We need to be more poised.”

After a promising start, the Americans never looked quite right. In fact, they looked as though they were the lesser team desperate to beat a fabled opponent.

“It was obviously a little bit clunky,” forward Megan Rapinoe said.

“We also should have solved problems a little bit better,” forward Alex Morgan said, “and made better decisions.”

It was more than that, though. The U.S. team was sloppy with its passing, never found a rhythm and seemed a step behind in almost every situation. After failing to capitalize on a wealth of opportunities in each of the first two matches, the Americans created few chances against Portugal. Since scoring three times against Vietnam, they’ve managed one goal, off a corner kick against the Netherlands.

“We have to get on the same page when it comes down to the final ball to the final person and execute,” Andonovski said.

Even with midfielder Rose Lavelle making her first start of the tournament, the attack encountered head winds. Not only did she and her teammates fail to manufacture consistent opportunities, Lavelle received her second yellow card of the tournament, meaning she will miss the next U.S. match.

It started well for the United States, which set the terms and played with commitment and fervor, but over the course of the game, Portugal was the better side.

As in the first two matches, the Americans ran out of ideas and composure in dangerous positions. They made several unforced errors and lacked chemistry and imagination.

As the half wore on, Portugal became increasingly comfortable in possession, attacking through midfield and finding seams in the U.S. defense. The Americans were slow to react to almost everything.

“What we say to our girls is to change our mind-sets,” Portuguese Coach Francisco Neto said. “We cannot be afraid to play these games. … We are playing with one of the best teams in the world, but what this World Cup shows us now is that the women’s game is growing a lot.”

Portugal’s Jéssica Silva was clever with the ball, and on the best opportunity of the first half, she broke partially clear on the right side before sending a low shot wide of the far post. Portugal did not test goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, but its quality buildup offered promise.

Two minutes into the second half, the night grew weirder: Fire alarms sounded throughout the stadium, and spectators were told to evacuate. The match continued, and no one left. After three minutes, the alarms stopped. The U.S. emergency, though, continued.

In the 61st minute, Andonovski turned to the 38-year-old Rapinoe in place of Sophia Smith, the 22-year-old rising star. The energy level rose, but the issues remained.

With the Netherlands routing Vietnam in Dunedin, New Zealand, the possibility of the United States winning the group was long gone. It became a matter of avoiding elimination — an inconceivable possibility when this tournament began.

Portugal came within inches of taking the lead when Capeta’s shot hit the near post in the first of eight additional minutes. As the shot streaked beyond Naeher’s reach, the Portuguese players and staff spilled off the bench in anticipation of rushing the field. Alas, they had to stop short.

“That was stressful,” Rapinoe said.

When time finally elapsed, the U.S. players and their thousands of supporters in the crowd of 42,958 at Eden Park exhaled.

“We did what we had to do,” defender Kelley O’Hara said. “This game is done. The group stage is done. We advanced. It’s World Cup soccer. That’s the name of the game: get out of your group and then go from there. And for us, this is in the rear view, and the only thing we’re looking at and focused on is the round of 16. It’s knockout soccer. It’s time to go.”