Carli Lloyd has made a hit with USWNT after seeing footage of players dancing on the field after progressing through to the World Cup knockout stage with a 0-0 draw with Portugal.
Speaking on Fox’s postgame show after the Americans advanced to the knockout stage on Tuesday, Lloyd – a two-time World Cup winner and Olympic gold medal winner – bumped into a disappointing American squad that managed just one twin and two draws in Group E.
She was particularly angry at scenes where Megan Rapinoe and teammates danced on the field to celebrate making it to the knockout stages, despite such underwhelming performances.
Speaking as an analyst for FOX Soccer, Lloyd, 41, spared some credibility for players posing for post-match selfies with fans, but felt partying on the pitch was going a little too far.
“I’ve never witnessed — just now seeing this footage on the desk for the first time and I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Lloyd.
Carli Lloyd was stunned by the USWNT players celebrating a 0-0 draw against Portugal
Megan Rapinoe and teammates were filmed dancing on the field after the 0-0 result
Other members of the team signed autographs for fans after the disappointing result
There’s a difference between respecting the fans and saying hello to your family, but dancing and smiling? The player of the match was the post. You’re lucky you’re not going home now.’
“I made some comments when I retired in 2021, but I felt there was a shift within this team, within the federation, within the culture, the mindset, the importance of the meaning of winning has changed, what out of winning coming has become more important, and you can never take a situation for granted,’ Lloyd said.
“Every time you step on that field, it’s not a guarantee that you’re going to win. It is not a guarantee that you will win a World Cup,” she continued, clearly adding a joke to coach Vlatko Andonovski and his staff. “And today was just not very inspiring, disappointing. They don’t look fit. They play as individuals. And the tactics are just too predictable and really just not very inspiring.’
Earlier, at half-time, Lloyd flatly stated that the American women were “not good enough” in Auckland on Tuesday.
A goal post even saved the US from elimination at the Women’s World Cup.
Ana Capeta almost scored for Portugal in stoppage time, but her shot hit the left post.
The USA won only one game in group play for the first time in tournament history and scored only four goals in three games. Due to the scoreless draw, the US dropped to second place in the group behind the Netherlands and will go to Melbourne, Australia, for a round of 16 on Sunday.
“We should have put something in the back of the net and we didn’t. That’s our property,” Alex Morgan said. “We are not happy with the performance we put in there. But at the same time we go further.’
Rapinoe (right) failed to inspire the US to victory, as they had to draw again
The Americans, the most successful team ever at the World Cup with four titles, have never been eliminated from the group stage of the tournament. But they looked shaky against the Portuguese, who were playing in their first World Cup.
“Of course we want to play well and score a lot of goals, but we didn’t do that. We know that we can and must do better to move forward,” said Megan Rapinoe, who came on as a substitute in the second half. “But in the end we go through to the next round.”
The Portuguese players sobbed on the field after the final whistle after coming oh so close to upsetting the mighty United States. Capeta’s shot looked so good about two minutes into stoppage time that her coaches started cheering and the players on the bench jumped to their feet.
“I really believed the goal would come at that point and I started thinking, ‘What can I do to help my players if we win 1-0?’ said coach Francisco Neto. ‘I was very proud of what I said to the girls. Of course they are very sad because we have high expectations of ourselves.’
Lynn Williams, who started for the USA for the first time in the tournament, had a chance for a header in the 14th minute, but Portuguese goalkeeper Ines Pereira blocked it. While the USA controlled possession and had the better chances, the team was unable to finish and the game was scoreless at halftime.
USA has now drawn their last two games and finished second in Group E behind the Netherlands
Rose Lavelle was booked in the 38th minute, her second of the group stage, and she will not be available for the team’s round of 16 match.
The frustration of the American fans in Eden Park was evident during the interval, when there was scattered boos from the crowd as the teams made their way to the tunnel. A fire alarm went off in the stadium early in the second half, but it turned out to be a faulty sprinkler.
The United States were awarded a free-kick from a dangerous spot in the 57th minute, but Morgan’s header went wide over the target. Annoyed, she clapped her hands to her face.
“I think we just need a little bit of ruthlessness for the net,” Lavelle said. “I think we’re getting the chances, but it’s that last bit of ruthlessness to just put it away.”
Rapinoe came on as a substitute in the 61st minute, but the Golden Boot winner at the 2019 World Cup couldn’t find that elusive goal.
American coach Vlatko Andonovski adjusted his starting line-up for the game and started both Williams and Lavelle for the first time at this World Cup. He had started Trinity Rodman at forward and Savannah DeMelo at midfield for the team’s first two games.
Lavelle gave the team a boost when she came on as a half-time substitute against the Netherlands in Wellington on Thursday, as a lackluster opening half sent the Americans 1-0 to halftime for the Orange. A corner from Lavelle to Lindsey Horan gave the Americans a 1–1 draw in the game.
But the energy just wasn’t there against Portugal and the Americans seemed lost and disorganized for most of the game. In a post-game rally, defenseman Kelley O’Hara, one of the veterans, yelled at her teammates.
“I just said to the team, ‘Listen, we’ve done what we had to do, we’re moving on, the group stage is over, this is over, it’s in the rearview mirror, we’ve got our next game ahead of us and that’s the the only one that matters,” said O’Hara. “Maybe we didn’t do it the way we wanted or planned, but we’re moving forward and this is the World Cup and that’s all that matters.”
The United States last lost to Sweden in the group stage at the 2011 World Cup, but the Americans still progressed to the final game before losing to champions Japan on penalties.
The Americans haven’t needed the third and final group stage match to learn their fate since 2007, when there was only a slim chance of elimination. A loss to Portugal on Tuesday could have ended the tournament for the Americans.
At the start of the match, the United States were top of Group E, even on points with the Netherlands, but ahead on goal difference. But the Netherlands erased that lead to take the group lead with a decisive 7-0 victory over Vietnam, in a match played in Dunedin at the same time.
The Netherlands will now head to Sydney to face the second team from Group G, which consists of Sweden, South Africa, Italy and Argentina. The United States plays the best team in the group – probably Sweden.
“They made it frustrating for us, and yes, I think we’re disappointed in ourselves,” Lavelle said. “But we made it, so we have to put our energy into that.”