Gerhardsson\u2019s side beat holders 5-3 on penalties to set up quarter-final against Japan
\n MELBOURNE
\nSweden stunned the United States 5-4 in a sudden-death penalty shootout Sunday to surge into a Women\u2019s World Cup quarter-final against Japan and consign the defending champions to their earliest-ever exit.
\nThe title-holders dominated the opening 90 minutes but a breakthrough proved elusive with Swedish goalkeeper Zecira Musovic making some startling saves to keep her side alive.
\nWith the deadlock remaining after extra-time it went to penalties in Melbourne \u2013 and the tension went up another notch.
\nSweden\u2019s Nathalie Bjorn was the first to miss, skying high, only for Megan Rapinoe to do the same.
\nRebecka Blomqvist\u2019s effort was saved, again putting the USA in the driving seat, only for Sophia Smith to blast wide.
\nWhen Kelley O\u2019Hara hit the post, it was all down to Sweden\u2019s Lina Hurtig, who made sure \u2013 but only after VAR ruled her kick had crossed the line.
\nThe dramatic conclusion leaves the tournament without the two top-ranked sides after Germany\u2019s group-stage departure, with the Swedes now considered among the chief frontrunners as the world number three.
\nPeter Gerhardsson\u2019s side, who are striving to better their third-place finish in 2019, next face the 2011 champions Japan.
\nBut it was a bitter blow for the USA and an inglorious end for Rapinoe, the Golden Boot winner at the 2019 tournament. She will retire at the end of the season.
\nExpectations were high coming into the tournament for the four-time champions, who had made at least the semi-finals at every World Cup.
\nBut they never looked up to the task in the group stage, with just one win, against Vietnam.
\nThis devastating early exit will be seen as a major underachievement.
\nVlatko Andonovski made two changes from the team that drew 0-0 against Portugal, with Emily Sonnett in for suspended midfielder Rose Lavelle and Trinity Rodman preferred up front to Lynn Williams.
\nSweden rested nine players in their last group game, but reverted to their strongest XI with strikers Fridolina Rolfo and Stina Blackstenius returning and Musovic getting the nod as goalkeeper ahead of Jennifer Falk.
\nAfter both sides sized each other up, the USA worked the first clear chance on six minutes, but Andi Sullivan\u2019s drive from the edge of the box skewered wide.
\nA patient Sweden created space early on, particularly on the flanks, and sent in a series of teasing crosses to use their height advantage, to no avail.
\nAs the game wore on the US assumed midfield control and a livewire Rodman went close to the opener after 18 minutes, letting fly from distance with Musovic palming away.
\nShe was forced into a similar stop minutes later, again from Rodman, but could only watch as a towering Lindsey Horan header rattled the crossbar in the best opportunity of a lively half the US dominated.
\nThe title-holders carried the momentum into the second stanza and only a world-class reflex save from Musovic kept Sweden on level terms, turning a vicious strike from Horan around the post at full stretch.
\nIt was all the United States and a goal seemed inevitable, but Musovic again kept Sweden in the game with another cracking save in the 88th minute, this time from Alex Morgan.
\nShe pulled off two more brilliant saves in extra-time to take the match to penalties<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Gerhardsson\u2019s side beat holders 5-3 on penalties to set up quarter-final against Japan MELBOURNE Sweden stunned the United States 5-4 in a sudden-death penalty shootout Sunday to surge into a Women\u2019s World Cup quarter-final against Japan and consign the defending champions to their earliest-ever exit. The title-holders dominated the opening 90 minutes but a breakthrough […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":347505,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-347488","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n