Rio 2016: Defending champions USA knocked out of women's football by Sweden

In a stunning quarterfinal match in Brasilia, defending champions USA were knocked out by Sweden in a dramatic penalty shootout at the Rio Olympics on Friday, 12 August. The Swedes came out 4-3 winners in the first ever shootout in Olympic women's soccer. The scores had remained 1-1 after extra-time. Sweden progressed to their first ever Olympics semifinal.

Substitute Stina Blackstenius gave Sweden a shock lead at half time before Alex Morgan levelled the game at 1-1. Morgan and Christen Press missed crucial spot-kicks. Lisa Dahlkvist scored the winning penalty to deny USA's bid for a fourth straight Olympic gold medal and a fifth consecutive final. This was the first time they failed to make the final since women's football was added to the Games. Sweden's coach Pia Sundhage, had led the USA to successive golds at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics.

Alex Morgan went from hero to zero in the span of the game. After scoring the equaliser, Morgan took the first penalty in the shootout. Her shot was saved and immediately USA were on the backfoot. USA goalkeeper Solo may have kept the team alive with a fine save from Linda Sembrant, but after Christen Press missed, the Swedes just needed to score their next penalty kick. Dahlkvist stepped up and scored to knock the Americans out.

"We played a bunch of cowards," Solo told Sports Illustrated. "The better team did not win today. I strongly believe that. I think you saw American heart. You saw us give everything we had today."

Kieran Canning on Yahoo Sports writes, "'Defeat is the Americans' first in 15 games at the Olympics and only their third ever in Games history having won four golds and a silver since women's football was introduced to the Olympic programme".