(Andrew Cornaga / Associated Press)
The buzz: This matchup seemed inevitable since the U.S. has played Sweden in six of the last eight Olympic or World Cup tournaments. But the Americans have won just two of those games, and while the teams come into this rematch unbeaten, they’re carrying vastly different kinds of momentum.
Sweden won its group easily, winning all three games and outscoring Italy and Argentina 7-0 in the last two, while the U.S. played to draws in its last two games, barely holding off stubborn Portugal to advance as the second-place team. It was just the second time in nine World Cups the U.S. did not win its group.
The Americans have too much talent to struggle this much, and they’re more than capable of breaking out here. They’ve allowed just one goal — and that came on the only shot on target that keeper Alyssa Naeher has faced in three games — but they’ve had trouble connecting in the final third, scoring just once in the last 193 minutes.
If this U.S. team doesn’t figure that out soon, the Americans will be heading home from a World Cup short of the semifinals for the first time. Sweden’s Amanda Ilestedt has three goals, one fewer than the U.S. has as a team.