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Two-time defending Women's World Cup champions USA have been knocked out in the round of 16 by Sweden, 5-4 on penalties in Melbourne/Naarm.
Despite dominating for most of the match, the US Women's National team was unable to find the back of the net for the second straight game at the tournament, after finishing the group stage with a 0-0 draw against Portugal.
USA has featured in the past three finals, won the tournament four times and had never fallen before the semi-finals at the World Cup until now, with Sweden beating them by the barest of margins to set up a quarter-final with 2011 champions Japan.
Neither side at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium could score through 90 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of extra time, with 14 shots taken in the penalty shootout.
Ultimately it was Lina Hurtig who scored the winner in sudden death, with VAR stepping in to confirm her goal despite USA goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher being adamant it did not cross the line after rebounding off her initial diving save.
It was remarkable that it even got to sudden death in the shootout.
After five straight goals gave the USA a 3-2 lead, Nathalie Björn sent her shot over the bar to all but send Sweden home, especially with the decorated Megan Rapinoe stepping up next for USA.
But the retiring 38-year-old also launched her shot into the stands to keep the game alive.
Naeher rescued her country with a brilliant save from Rebecka Blomqvist, but Sophia Smith sent her attempted game-winner wide right.
Twenty-year-old Hanna Bennison, the youngest player on the pitch, got things back on level pegging with a clean strike, before Naeher slotted down the middle past her counterpart and Magda Eriksson answered right back.
But 35-year-old Kelley O'Hara hit the woodwork with her shot, before Hurtig stepped up.
Naeher initially pulled off the save, diving to her right, but the ball ballooned behind her and she tried to bat it back into play off the line.
The linesperson could not make a definitive ruling on the field, sending the decision to the goal-line technology, which ruled the ball had just barely crossed the line, sending Sweden into raptures and US players to tears.
Surprisingly, Swedish goalkeeper Zećira Mušović did not save a single shot during the shootout despite being the main reason her team even made it that far.
She was named player of the match for her phenomenal performance between the sticks to deny a surging USA team that was on top for most of the match.
USA had 11 shots on target compared to Sweden's one, but Mušović stopped everything that came her way for two hours.
In the first half, Trinity Rodman was a constant threat on the right and forced two superb saves from Mušović, while captain Lindsey Horan hit the crossbar with a 34th-minute header.
Horan was denied again in the 53rd minute when Mušović pulled off a brilliant save, diving to her left to turn a searing shot past the post, and she was on hand again with a superb diving reflex save in the 89th minute to keep out Alex Morgan's header.
Sweden's first and only real challenge of the match came from sub Sofia Jakobsson in the 85th minute, when she cut back inside and hit a stinging left foot towards goal, but Naeher was good enough to keep it out.
The Swedes upped the ante in extra time, but most of the chances still came at the other end, with Morgan, Lynn Williams and Sophia Smith all expertly kept out by Mušović, sending the game into a tense and decisive penalty shootout.
Earlier, South Africa's dream run ended after falling to a 2-0 defeat to The Netherlands at the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Jill Roord's header got the fifth-ranked Dutch off to a flying start, with a goalkeeping howler handing Lineth Beerensteyn the sealer mid way through the second half.
South Africa, who claimed their first ever win at a Women's World Cup in the final group stage match, gave a good account of themselves but did not have the finishing quality to get on the scoresheet.
Thembi Kgatlana impressed with five shots on target, but was repeatedly denied by Dutch keeper Daphne van Domselaar before half time.
Van Domselaar also made a brilliant stop late on to turn Linda Motlhalo's long-range effort around the post with 15 minutes left.
The Netherlands, runners up four years ago, will now play Spain in the quarter final in Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara on Thursday.
Look back at all the action has it happened in our live blog.
Thank you and good night
Well, I am still a little bit stunned by all that drama.
The United States are out.
A changing of the guard perhaps, as Sweden continue their remarkable run in recent major tournaments and push on to face another tough test in Japan in the quarter finals.
The agony of the US was offset by the sheer unadulterated joy of the Swedes, who were not at their best tonight, and owe Zećira Mušović whatever she wants for as long as she wants after a career-best performance between the sticks.
I feel like we've had enough drama to be going along with for an entire month, which does not bode well for tomorrow given that it's Matildas day again!
We'll bring you full coverage of both tomorrow's games, with England vs Nigeria kicking us off in Brisbane/Meaanjin, and then the big one, Australia against Denmark from Stadium Australia in Sydney/Wangal.
We'll have all the reaction to today's matches and build up to tomorrow's on the ABC Sport website.
The blog will kick off with me and Jon Healy from about 4:00pm AEST, so until then, goodnight.
This is the other side of the draw
What was the better outcome for the Matilda’s? Did we prefer Sweden to win? I feel like yes but I’m not a soccer genius
- It’s too late now
In all honestly, it makes no difference.
The Matildas are on the other side of the draw so would not meet a team from this match until the final anyway.
'Penalties suck': USA skipper Lindsey Horan
Here's the USA's Lindsey Horan.
"First and foremost I'm so proud of the team.
"A lot went into this performance, we were confident and patient and we went out and played beautful football today.
"We entertained, we made plenty of chances. We created chances, we didn't score and to be frank penalties suck.
"I'm proud of every player who stepped up to take one. I'm very proud of my team."
Who won player of the match
I'll give you a clue...
The end for a legend
This, obviously, can not be the defining image that we should take from Megan Rapinoe. She is too important to the history of women's football for that.
But the fairytale had been written.
It turned into a nightmare.
But this is now it for Megan Rapinoe, one of the most recognisable women's footballers of all time - certainly of this generation.
Her legacy? Look at Trinity Rodman. Lynn Williams.
In fact, look at every young player at this World Cup, and the one that will take place in four years time, and four years after that too.
Her legacy will endure.
But it has, sadly, ended in heartbreak.
VAR, by the barest of margins
Do you have a graphic of the ball over the line for the win?
Breath taking soccer!
- Stunned!
I mean, wow.
I can't take much more of this
I think I just had a heart attack
- Izzy
Good job there's nothing happening in the next 24 hours or so to put us through all that again, amiright?
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Drama to the end
Wow. Could not have asked for a better finish.
- Ari
Football can be cruel
Oh how cruel it can be.
Vlatko Andonovski: 'Soccer can be cruel sometimes'
The US coach Vlatko Andonovski has just been speaking on TV.
Must be incredibly tough after dominating a match to lose it like that, but he is fronting up and putting a brave face on it.
"So proud of the team, the women on the field," he says.
"I think we came out today and showed a lot of heart, the resilience, the gritt, the bravery.
"Unfortunately soccer can be cruel sometimes."
It sure can.
He says that he told the players that they had worked for penalties and the aftermath.
But after the criticism that the US fielded after their underwhelming group stage, they were at their best again tonight.
Could he have done more? Unlikely.
Extraordinary
Well, that was genuinely extraordinary.
I don't think anyone has ever seen an end to a penalty shoot out like that.
The ball crossed the line by about a milimetre.
That is what it came down to. This brilliant game, down to the tiniest of margins.
And the USA dominated that match on every level.
22 shots to nine, 11 of those on target to Sweden's one.
They had 58 per cent possession, completed 583 passes.
Zećira Mušović, take a bow
We need to talk about Sweden's goalie, tho. Rapi.. no...
- Natty
Don't we just.
Zećira Mušović's 11 saves is a single-game record at the FIFA Women’s World Cup for a goalkeeper that kept a clean sheet.
She was stunningly good tonight.
I need something after that...
I need a nice cup of tea after that nailbiter. Well done to both teams and the blog
- Liz
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Tell me about it
My gosh - the drama!!!
- BlogLover
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Sweden flip the script
-by Kate O'Halloran at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
You couldn’t have scripted it better.
US superstar Megan Rapinoe, facing the end of her career if the USA fall to Sweden, takes the penalty to send her side through to the quarter-finals after Bjorn missed.
But she hits it poorly.
It’s nowhere near it.
It’s unfathomable from her.
What follows is one of the most incredible penalty shoot-outs you’ll see.
It features a goal from US goalkeeper, Naeher, and a number of successful penalties from Sweden, facing sudden death.
After O’Hara misses, the chance to seal a Swedish win falls to Hurtig, but it’s stopped on the line by Naeher - or is it?
On review, it’s ruled a goal and Sweden have done it.
It’s heartbreak for Rapinoe and the USA.
THE USA ARE OUT!
It's the earliest the USA have ever been knocked out at a Women's World Cup.
The two-time defending champions are out.
The threepeat attempt is over.
SWEDEN WINS!
5-4 on penalties!
Oh my goodness what drama!
That is extraordinary!
The ball did cross the line! We had to wait ten seconds that felt like 10 minutes as the referee checked!