The Matildas have been eliminated at the group stage for the first time since their Olympic debut, losing their final group game to the USA 2-1.
The Matildas ' hopes of winning their first ever Olympic medal have ended in disaster, crashing out at the group stage after losing to former world champions USA 2-1 in their third and final group game on Thursday., Australia needed at least a point against the Americans — a team they have only ever beaten once — in order to secure smooth passage to the knock-outs, but the four-time gold medallists had other ideas.
But the USA's front three slowly warmed into the game, with Swanson and Rodman in particular causing havoc out wide as they found more and more space behind Australia's full-backs. However, there was a stoppage of several minutes as the VAR was called upon to double-check the goal, with replays showing American midfielder Sam Coffey standing in an offside position, potentially obscuring Mackenzie Arnold in the process.
As they have done for the past two games, the Matildas seemed to burst to life when all seemed lost. Gustavsson threw his plans to the wind and sent centre-back Alanna Kennedy up front, trying to combine her height with that of substitute striker Michelle Heyman. But it came to nothing: the corner was easily cleared by the terrific Naomi Girma and sent up-field, moments before the referee blew his whistle to potentially pull the curtain across Australia's Olympic dreams.
The players know they needed at least a point from this morning's game to guarantee qualification, but nothing has gone the way they've wanted in this tournament, and that trend has continued today. She tries to twist and turn past Casey Krueger, and almost seems to nip the ball away from the substitute defender and into the box, but it just rolls away from her for a goal kick.A cross from Carpenter in exactly the same position as Foord's earlier ball is curled towards the back post where Kennedy is still lurking.
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