As a regular U.S. soccer fan, it’s typically my duty to disagree with polarizing FOX pundit Alexi Lalas. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case this Tuesday morning as the USWNT pathetically got a 0-0 draw vs. Portugal to finish second in Group E and advance to the Round of 16 of the Women’s World Cup.
There isn’t much to discuss about the USWNT’s draw. They were slapdash on the attack and lucky not to concede on defense. Portugal were inches away from sending the USWNT home but rattled the post late in the game.
Portugal was this close pic.twitter.com/UMIZnAqyib
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 1, 2023
The Netherlands destroyed Vietnam 7-0 on Tuesday (a team the USWNT only beat 3-0) to claim top of the group.
Lalas tweeted out that the USWNT wasted the precious sleep of Americans. I agree wholeheartedly.
…now it’s 90 minutes.
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) August 1, 2023
My dreams would have been much more pleasant than that disastrous 90 minutes.
There was nothing to take from the draw vs. Portugal. The Twitter-sphere speaks for itself.
Goal Post did more to keep USA alive than anyone on the team. pic.twitter.com/eaLtqNL5Hv
— Austin (@AustinPlanet) August 1, 2023
I feel bad for Portugal we didn’t deserve to go through
— Nathan Valdecantos (@N_Valdecantos) August 1, 2023
Y’all should be embarrassed. That was pathetic effort
— Quan (@TheFinalQuan) August 1, 2023
USWNT lose, 0-0.
(Okay for real: the #USWNT have advanced to the Round of 16 despite one of the worst performances I have ever witnessed from them with my own two eyeballs.)— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) August 1, 2023
The prize for the USWNT finishing runner-up of Group E is a match vs. the Group G winner… most likely Sweden. The Swedes will dismantle Argentina in their final group stage game to claim top of their group.
Sweden obliterated the USWNT in the 2020 Olympics with a 3-0 victory and knocked out the Americans in a penalty shootout back in the 2016 Olympics.
Swedish soccer is American kryptonite, plain and simple.
The USWNT can prove Sweden and me wrong on Sunday, Aug. 3 at 5 a.m. ET.
If the game against Portugal was a benchmark, then this USWNT isn’t the same World Cup winning squad as 2019. This team is weak, this team isn’t lethal, this team is vulnerable and this team owes me some "Z's".
Best of luck on Sunday USWNT. You’re going to need it.
