The United States women s team lost to Sweden in the quarter-finals of the Rio 2016 football tournament on Friday, marking the first time since the women s game was added to the Olympic programme that they have failed to make the final.
It took the first-ever penalty shoot-out in women s Olympic football history for the Swedes coached by Pia Sundhage, who led the US to gold in 2008 and 2012 to knock out the Americans after the match had ended level at 1-1 after extra time.
Sweden took the lead in the 61st minute, when Stina Blackstenius beat USA defender Julie Johnson on the counter-attack and slid a shot past goalkeeper Hope Solo.
The US equalised in the 77th minute, Alex Morgan taking advantage of a loose ball in Sweden s area that ricocheted off the …