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USWNT vs. Sweden: USWNT eliminated from World Cup in penalty shootout

Megan Rapinoe reacts after missing her penalty kick for the USWNT. Sweden won the shootout 5-4 to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals. (Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

The U.S. women’s national team ends its quest for a third consecutive World Cup in the Round of 16, falling 5-4 on penalties against Sweden.

While the USWNT outshot Sweden 22-9 overall, and 11-1 in shots on target, the teams remained knotted 0-0 after regulation plus 30 minutes of extra time. The USWNT scored just four goals across four World Cup matches.

Missed penalty kicks from Megan Rapinoe, Sophia Smith and Kelley O’Hara doomed the U.S. to the earliest World Cup exit it its history. In all eight previous tournaments, the USWNT had reached at least the semifinals — and had won four titles.


FINAL: Sweden 0, USWNT 0 (Sweden advances 5-4 on penalties)

The USWNT took a 3-2 lead in the penalty kick shootout, but back-to-back misses from Megan Rapinoe and Sophia Smith prevented the defending champions from shutting the door on Sweden.

In the final round, Kelley O’Hara’s shot hit the post, and then Lina Hurtig had the winning tally for Sweden. USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher got a hand on Hurtig’s shot, then snatched it out of the net, but not before the ball spun up and across the goal line (as confirmed in a brief video review).

  • Round One
    • USWNT: Andi Sullivan — SCORE
    • Sweden: Fridolina Rolfö — SCORE
  • Round Two
    • USWNT: Lindsey Horan — SCORE
    • Sweden: Elin Rubensson — SCORE
  • Round Three
    • USWNT: Kristie Mewis — SCORE
    • Sweden: Nathalie Björn — MISS
  • Round Four
    • USWNT: Megan Rapinoe — MISS
    • Sweden: Rebecka Blomqvist — MISS
  • Round Five
    • USWNT: Sophia Smith — MISS
    • Sweden: Hanna Bennison — SCORE
  • Round Six
    • USWNT: Alyssa Naeher — SCORE
    • Sweden: Magdalena Eriksson — SCORE
  • Round Seven
    • USWNT: Kelley O’Hara — MISS
    • Sweden: Lina Hurtig — SCORE

END EXTRA TIME: USWNT 0, Sweden 0

To penalty kicks! Just Women’s Sports‘ Claire Watkins provided this analysis: “If the U.S. don’t advance, the conversation won’t change much from the last week, and rightly so. But also like, this game was just a soccer game between two good teams.”


120′: Kelley O’Hara, Kristie Mewis enter for USWNT

O’Hara and Mewis replace Emily Fox and Emily Sonnett, just in time for the penalty kick shootout.


107′: Sophia Smith shot stopped by Zecira Musovic

The Swedish goalkeeper is having “the game of her life,” as Just Women’s Sports writer Claire Watkins put it — which makes the prospect of facing her in a penalty shootout that much scarier.


99′: Megan Rapinoe replaces Alex Morgan for USWNT

USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski made his second change of the match, swapping the veteran forwards. Just Women’s Sports writer Claire Watkins was “afraid he wouldn’t do this with pens in mind, but its the right way to get Pinoe on the field.”


97′: Sweden goalkeeper stops another Alex Morgan shot

Morgan moved into the box, then got a shot off at a tough angle, but Sweden’s Zecira Musovic made the save.


END REGULATION: USWNT 0, Sweden 0

The USWNT outshot Sweden 14-7 overall (6-1 on target) through 90 minutes, but with no goals for either side, the match heads to extra time.

Get ready for 30 more minutes of action. If the score remains tied after extra time, the match will head to penalty kicks.


89′: Alex Morgan gets her best chance yet

Alex Morgan nearly scored on a header set up by a perfect cross into the box from Lynn Williams up the right side. But Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic managed another highlight-reel save.

Sweden’s Sofia Jakobsson and Lina Hurtig entered for Johanna Kaneryd and Kosovare Asllani in the 82nd minute.


66′: Lynn Williams replaces Trinity Rodman for USWNT

While Rodman had been one of the strongest players to this point, she also was playing through an illness, so the USWNT had her on a minutes limit. Williams came off the bench to replace her on the right side.


54′: Lindsey Horan forces impressive save from Sweden keeper

A stinging shot from the USWNT captain is blocked by Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic. Horan’s chance came between two opportunities for fellow midfielder Andi Sullivan as the USWNT continues to threaten.


HALF: USWNT 0, Sweden 0

Despite several late chances, Rodman’s two shots on goal stood as the only ones of the half for either team. The USWNT outshot Sweden 6-2 (2-0 on target), and maintained possession for 62% of the first half.

“U.S. fans should feel much better about the shape, consistency, and stability of the USWNT,” Just Women’s Sports soccer writer Claire Watkins said. “They should not feel great that the sport being played is knockout soccer and it is tied.”

The inability to finish chances plagued the USWNT throughout the group stage, as Watkins noted. The new midfield formation showed the biggest problem to this point was the system, not the players, but the change will come to nought if the U.S. cannot get on the scoreboard.


34′: Lindsey Horan header almost finds the net

The USWNT captain got her head on the corner kick from Andi Sullivan, but the ball bounced up off the crossbar and out of play, resulting in a Sweden goal kick.


27′: Trinity Rodman gets another shot on goal

Rodman has looked strong on the right wing for the USWNT. She beat Andersson from the outside, but her shot zipped directly toward Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic.

She managed another shot soon afterward, but she sailed it over the crossbar. And then the USWNT almost found Lindsey Horan in the box for another chance in a strong stretch of play for the defending champions.


22′: Alyssa Naeher gets hand on Sweden corner kick

Sweden received another opportunity for one of its dangerous set pieces. Jonna Andersson’s corner kick sailed into the box, but Naeher slapped it away.

A free kick for Sweden followed minutes later. Andersson sent it into the box, but the USWNT managed to clear.


18′: Trinity Rodman challenges Sweden goalkeeper

The 21-year-old got the first shot on goal of the match, but Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic made the save.

Up to this point, both teams had traded opportunities, with neither dominating the run of play. With the new midfield formation, the USWNT looked more comfortable — defensive midfielder Andi Sullivan in particular.


Starting XI: USWNT deploys two defensive midfielders

  • United States
    • Goalkeeper: Alyssa Naeher
    • Defenders: Emily Fox, Julie Ertz, Naomi Girma, Crystal Dunn
    • Midfielders: Emily Sonnett, Lindsey Horan, Andi Sullivan, Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman
    • Forwards: Alex Morgan
  • Sweden
    • Goalkeeper: Zecira Musovic
    • Defenders: Nathalie Björn, Amanda Ilestedt, Magdalena Eriksson, Jonna Andersson
    • Midfielders: Filippa Angeldal, Elin Rubensson, Johanna Kaneryd, Kosovare Asllani, Fridolina Rolfö
    • Forwards: Stina Blackstenius

Both teams are using a midfield-heavy 4-2-3-1. The surprise for the USWNT: Sonnett is the replacement for suspended Rose Lavelle in the midfield, while Ertz remains at center-back, putting each outside her typical position — though Ertz has started on the backline in every game so far.

Just Women’s Sports soccer writer Claire Watkins predicted the use of two defensive midfielders for this match, though she expected to see Ertz in the role.


What to know about Sweden

  • Sweden has played in every World Cup since 1999, reaching the semifinals three times (in 2011 and 2019) and the championship match once (in 2003).
  • Head coach Peter Gerhardsson has helmed Sweden since 2017. Under his leadership, Sweden placed third at the 2019 World Cup and won silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
  • Nathalie Björn came close to guaranteeing a win for her team. “We will do everything we can as a team, as individuals, and then we’ll make sure that we will knock out the U.S.,” the 26-year-old defender said.

What to know about the USWNT

  • Rose Lavelle will miss the match after picking up her second yellow card of the tournament against Portugal, earning her a one-game suspension.
  • Head coach Vlatko Andonovski offered his harshest evaluation yet of his squad’s performance. “The performance was crap,” he said Thursday. “We all know that. We have to own it. We have to take accountability.”
  • Two-time World Cup winner turned Fox Sports analyst Carli Lloyd made waves with her criticism of the 2023 squad, but captain Lindsey Horan pushed back. “It’s noise and, again, it’s an opinion and everyone is entitled to their own opinion — we know that’s how it goes,” Horan said. “But for me, I always want to defend my team and say: You have no idea what’s going on behind the scenes.”

When and how to watch

  • Sunday, Aug. 6 @ 5 a.m. ET (Fox, Peacock, Telemundo, Universo)
    • United States vs. Sweden (Melbourne Rectangular Stadium)

The USWNT’s Round of 16 match is available to watch on Fox, Telemundo and Universo. It also can be streamed on the Fox Sports app and on Peacock. The winner of this match will face the winner of Japan-Norway (4 a.m. ET Saturday) in the quarterfinals.

Women’s Basketball Greats Moore, Bird Top 2025 Hall of Fame Nominations

2025 Naismith Hall of Fame nominees Maya Moore and Sue Bird stand on the court during a 2012 WNBA Playoff game.
Maya Moore and Sue Bird are in the running to enter the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. (David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Several women’s basketball greats earned nominations to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday, with Maya Moore, Sue Bird, and Sylvia Fowles among the Class of 2025’s 17 finalists for first-ballot induction.

After leading UConn to back-to-back undefeated NCAA seasons en route to the 2009 and 2010 national titles, Moore won four WNBA championships across seven seasons with the Minnesota Lynx. The 2014 WNBA MVP and six-time league All-Star also earned a pair of Olympic gold medals in 2012 and 2016 before exiting the game to pursue criminal justice reform in 2018.

Fellow Husky alum Bird also won two NCAA titles at UConn before picking up five Olympic gold medals with Team USA and four WNBA championships in her 21-season career with the Seattle Storm. Despite retiring in 2022, Bird remains the WNBA's career assists leader with 3,234 dimes, and her 13 All-Star nods still sets the league record.

Before joining Moore in leading the Lynx to WNBA championships in 2015 and 2017 — and earning Finals MVP awards during both runs — Fowles helped her alma mater LSU to four straight Final Four appearances. Her 14-year pro career included four Olympic golds, eight All-Star nods, four Defensive Player of the Year awards, plus the 2017 WNBA MVP trophy. When Fowles exited the sport in 2022, she did so as the WNBA's career rebounds leader, with a total of 4,006 boards.

Also on the 2025 Naismith ballot is Stanford standout and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Jennifer Azzi, who spent five years in the WNBA before retiring from play in 2004. Azzi now serves as the chief business development officer for the Las Vegas Aces.

Naismith committee to decide Hall of Fame class

A 24-member Honors Committee will assess all 17 finalists. Those who garner at least 18 committee votes will earn admittance into the Hall of Fame.

The Class of 2025 will be announced in during the NCAA men’s Final Four in San Antonio, Texas, on Saturday, April 5th, with an official enshrinement ceremony to follow at a later date.

Report: Cleveland Wins WNBA Expansion Team Bid

The Cleveland Rockers walk across the court during a 2001 WNBA game.
Cleveland has reportedly won the bid for the 16th WNBA team. (Lisa Blumenfeld/ALLSPORT)

The WNBA appears poised to accept a bid from Cleveland to become the league's 16th franchise, with Sports Business Journal (SBJ) putting the Midwestern city’s chances of earning an expansion team "as high as 90%."

Led by Dan Gilbert, the majority owner of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, the investor group will reportedly revive the name and branding of the Cleveland Rockers ahead of the team’s 2028 debut. The Rockers were one of the WNBA's inaugural teams, competing from the league's 1997 debut season until the team's 2003 folding.

SBJ also cited an estimated expansion fee of $250 million, setting a new league record by fully doubling the $125 million fee shelled out by Portland, the WNBA's incoming 15th franchise.

That massive check combined with access to top-notch facilities likely elevated Cleveland’s bid, which includes plans for the incoming Rockers to operate out of the Cavs' current training facility after the NBA team moves to a new center in 2027.

Big expansion team bids spark additional WNBA growth

SBJ's report also indicated that the WNBA has begun considering growth beyond their previously stated three-year, 16-team strategy, with an eye toward stretching to 18 squads in the short-term and 20 franchises by 2030.

Like Cleveland's bid, immediate access to NBA infrastructure has reportedly placed two markets at the front of the line for an expansion nod: a revival of the four-time WNBA champion Houston Comets and a net-new Philadelphia team. That said, three other former WNBA franchises — the Detroit Shock, the Miami Sol, and the Charlotte Sting — are rumored to be in the mix as well.

However, those ex-WNBA cities face stiff competition with bids from new markets like Austin, Nashville, Kansas City, Jacksonville, St. Louis, Milwaukee, and Denver entering the race in recent months.

Seizing the moment after a banner 2024 season, the WNBA is appearing to fast-track expansion rather than put prospective owners with deep pockets on hold — and turning some heads in the process as fears about growing too big, too quickly start to crop up.

UConn Rattles AP Poll Rankings with Top 5 Upset Over South Carolina

UConn basketball guard Azzi Fudd dribbles up the court against South Carolina.
Azzi Fudd posted 28 points to help UConn defeat South Carolina on Sunday. (Jeff Blake/Imagn Images)

No. 4 UConn bagged their first signature win of the season on Sunday, taking down then-No. 4 South Carolina 87-58 to snap the Gamecocks’ 71-game home winning streak. Dating back to 2020, South Carolina's string of home victories was the fourth longest in Division I women's basketball history.

"They had their way with us," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said after the game. "There's no trying to find a silver lining to it. We got beat. We got beat bad."

Leading the beatdown was Husky guard Azzi Fudd, who notched a game-high 28 points while teammates Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong each snagged double-doubles en route to UConn's massive victory.

Despite dominating the Big East this season, UConn has struggled against non-conference foes, picking up losses against Notre Dame, USC, and, for the first time since 2007, Tennessee.

"We needed to prove that to ourselves, that we could never let up for 40 minutes," Fudd said on Sunday.

"More than anything else, it was evident today that we played to win," echoed UConn head coach Geno Auriemma.

Texas forward Madison Booker drives past LSU's Flau'Jae Johnson in Sunday's NCAA basketball tilt.
With Sunday's win over LSU, Texas is on track to contend for the SEC regular-season title. (Adam Davis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Top 10 upsets set the stage for March Madness

UConn wasn’t the only team showing out against Top 10 teams on Sunday, as then-No. 3 Texas took down former No. 5 LSU 65-58 in just the second SEC loss of the Tigers' season.

Now riding on three straight Top 8 wins, including humbling the reigning champion Gamecocks on February 9th, Texas currently sits atop the SEC standings. With less than two weeks of 2024/25 play left, the Longhorns have a real shot at the conference's regular-season trophy, as well as the key postseason seeding that title bestows.

Overall, the weekend’s slate tossed any presumptions about March Madness out the window, with top-ranked contenders stepping up to bust brackets before they’ve even been created. The only thing to expect? The unexpected.

Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo raises her arm in celebration during Monday's win over Duke.
Notre Dame is ranked No. 1 in the AP basketball poll for the first time since 2019. (Michael Miller/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Elite action paves Notre Dame's rise to No. 1

Last week’s NCAA onslaught brought bedlam to Monday's AP Top 25, with Notre Dame enjoying the view from the top after earning their first No. 1 ranking since 2019.

Sunday's top matchups sent South Carolina and LSU down two spots each to Nos. 6 and 7, respectively, while UConn earned an equitable rise to No. 5 with their defeat of the Gamecocks. Meanwhile, by taming the Tigers, Texas scaled up one spot to sit just behind Notre Dame at No. 2.

As for then-undefeated No. 1 UCLA, the Bruins fell two spots to No. 3 after their Thursday loss to crosstown rival USC, who leapt from No. 6 to No. 4 with the win.

Notre Dame is flying high for now, but with an unranked loss amid their ranked wins, their grip on the top slot is far from ironclad.

The Irish did manage to cement their No. 1 status with a 64-49 dismantling of No. 11 Duke just hours after Monday’s poll update, flexing their national prowess with a big ACC win.

However, UCLA and Texas each received multiple first-place votes this week, proving the AP's No. 1 ranking is far from unanimous as teams stare down their last few regular-season games.

With March fast approaching, conference tournament seeding could boil down to Top 10 wins — and teams will need every bit of leverage they can manage as the NCAA tournament looms.

UCLA guard Kiki Rice shoots over Michigan State's Grace Van Slooten on Sunday.
UCLA bounced back from their first season loss with a narrow win over Michigan State on Sunday. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

AP College Basketball Top 25: Week 16

1. Notre Dame (23-2, ACC)
2. Texas (26-2, SEC)
3. UCLA (24-1, Big Ten)
4. USC (23-2, Big Ten)
5. UConn (24-3, Big East)
6. South Carolina (23-3, SEC)
7. LSU (25-2, SEC)
8. Ohio State (22-3, Big Ten)
9. North Carolina (23-4, ACC)
10. TCU (24-3, Big 12)
11. Duke (20-6, ACC)
12. Kansas State (24-4, Big 12)
13. NC State (20-5, ACC)
14. Kentucky (20-4, SEC)
15. Tennessee (19-6, SEC)
16. Oklahoma (19-6, SEC)
17. West Virginia (21-5, Big 12)
18. Alabama (21-5, SEC)
19. Baylor (22-5, Big 12)
20. Georgia Tech (21-5, ACC)
21. Maryland (20-6, Big Ten)
22. Michigan State (19-6, Big Ten)
23. Creighton (21-4, Big East)
24. Oklahoma State (20-5, Big 12)
25. Illinois (21-5, Big Ten)

Gotham FC Signs Record-Breaking Sponsorship Deal with Dove

Emily Sonnett shows off the new Dove sponsorship above her last name on her Gotham jersey.
Dove's partnership with Gotham is the brand's first major investment in a women's sports team. (Gotham FC)

Gotham and Dove are teaming up, with the 2023 NWSL champs signing a record-setting multi-year kit partnership with the beauty brand on Thursday.

As Dove's first major investment in a women's sports team, the move also ranks as the highest-ever back-of-jersey sponsorship deal in NWSL history.

While Gotham did not provide specific numbers, the contract surpasses Bay FC's then-record $500,000 deal with private equity giant Sixth Street.

Dove joins Gotham in fight to keep girls in sports

The partnership is a part of Gotham's "Keep Her in the Game" initiative, a community effort launched last August to help adolescent girls stay in sports. Dove will serve as the program's presenting sponsor.

"Dove is the ultimate leader in female strength and empowerment, and we could not be prouder to partner with the brand in a number of impactful ways," Gotham FC chief business officer Ryan Dillon said in the team's release. "We are excited to team up with Dove to create key pathways for young female athletes to stay in sports, develop confidence, and become strong future leaders."

"The partnership is taking effect at a crucial time when supporting girls in sports has never been more important."

With girls twice as likely as boys to abandon sports by age 14, "Keep Her in the Game" aims to bolster young athletes' resilience and amplify the joy and connection that happens on and off the playing field.

After impacting 30 local New Jersey and New York youth clubs and more than 500 players in 2024, the initiative is aiming to double its reach in 2025. It will also pass the proverbial mic to the young athletes themselves by creating a Youth Leadership Council.

"The data is clear: Sports build confidence, leadership skills and resilience in young women, benefiting them for years to come," stated Laura DiMiceli, the head of personal care sports marketing for Dove's parent company, Unilever North America. "Dove is committed to supporting 'Keep Her in the Game' as part of our overall mission to help young girls pursue sports and keep playing the games they love."

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