Hope Solo‘s national team career has had its share of ups and downs, on and off the field, but if Friday’s shootout loss to Sweden was her last official match for the USA, she’ll have exit inyet another controversy.
The USA had a big edge in shots — 27-6 — but trailed until Alex Morgan‘s late tying goal, then almost lost the game in regulation when a valid Swedishgoal by Lotta Schelin was annulled for a phantom offside call. (The same thing happened to Carli Lloyd moments earlier.)
The Swedes won the shootout, 4-3, to advance to thesemifinals. The final goal was scored by Lisa Dahlkvist but not before Solo tried to ice, delaying the attempt by going over and changing her gloves.
Asked about the outcome, Soloresponded, “We played a creative game. We had many opportunities on goal. We showed a lot of heart. We came back from a goal down. I’m very proud of this team.”
But then she added:”We played a bunch of cowards. The best team did not win today. I strongly, firmly believe that.”
Solo, who had had arguably the worst game of her national team career in the 2-2 tie withColombia three days earlier, said the Swedes bunkered.
“Sweden dropped off,” she said. “They didn’t want to open play. They didn’t want to pass the ball.They didn’t want to play great soccer. It was a combative game, a physical game. Exactly what they wanted and exactly what their game plan was. They dropped into a 50. They didn’t try andpress. They didn’t want to open the game. And they tried to counter with long balls. We had that style of play when Pia [Sundhage] was our coach. I don’t think they’re goingto make it far in the tournament. I think it was very cowardly. But they won. They’re moving on, and we’re going home.”
Sundhage had installed Solo as the USA’sNo. 1 keeper in 2008 after she replaced Greg Ryan as head coach but had in 2015, now back as Sweden’s coach, said Solo had been a challenge to coach because of off-field issues.
Asked to comment on Solo’s remarks, Sundhage said, “It’s O.K. to be a coward if you win. They played more attacking football than we did. We defended very well.’’
Geez Solo you just pulled a Trump. Shut up. You lost.
It is not cowardly to bunker when you are the weaker team, it’s intelligent. The courageous road to victory, some might say fearless, is to play less zone and defend more individually and overload the midfield and attacking third. So, Hope I disagree. You have it backwards.
Fan of soccer so are you voting for Hillary the one that breaks laws to make money.I rather vote for so one who uses the laws to make money.Sports site is a terrible place to talk politics.I like the Italian game. When you bunker you have a chance to intercept a lot of passes. Do that you try to counter before the opponent can get into their defense shape.So the Italian game is a lot better game then the Swedish game.