Megan Rapinoe blasted the ball over the right corner of the net and three rounds later the USWNT was eliminated on penalty kicks by Sweden.
Megan Rapinoe had a chance to send the U.S. Women’s National Team to the World Cup quarterfinals, extending her final appearance in the tournament by at least one more game, but with a missed penalty kick it provided a sour ending to her storied career.
With the USWNT and Sweden scoreless through 90 minutes and through extra time, Rapinoe, who replaced Alex Morgan in the 99th minute, was selected for the fourth round of penalty kicks.
Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic didn’t even need to move a muscle.
Rapinoe blasted the ball over the right corner of the net and three rounds later the USWNT was eliminated on penalty kicks — failing to reach the semifinals for the first time.
“I mean, this is like a sick joke,” Rapinoe told Fox Sports in an interview. “For me, personally, I’m just like this is dark comedy. I missed a penalty … This is the balance to the beautiful side of the game. I think it can be cruel and just not our day.”
When the United States won the 2019 World Cup final against the Netherlands, Rapinoe scored the first goal on a penalty kick by directing the ball toward the right corner before the goalkeeper could even attempt a save.
