It was the first match the United States has played against Sweden since former U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage took over her native country. Sweden will face Norway, a 2-0 loser to Germany in Group A match, for third place.
Ashlyn Harris, the USA’s starting goalkeeper at the 2002 and 2004 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Cup tournaments, earned her first-career cap at the senior level and played well despite giving up an early goal.
Sweden got off to that fast start with a wonder striker from Lisa Dahlkvist in the fourth minute. The goal came after Sweden’s star striker Lotta Schelin chased down a ball over the top and Harris was quick off her line to clear for what the U.S. team thought was out of danger.
But with Harris scrambling back to her net, Dahlkvist ran onto the ball and hit a superb first-time strike, blasting the ball into the top corner from a full 40 yards out.
The teams traded scoring opportunities throughout a spirited first half. Wambach headed wide with her first chance in the eighth minute while at the other end Boxx executed a vital challenge on Caroline Seger to block a shot at the top of the penalty area.
The U.S. did its best to unlock a stout Sweden defense, but the hosts of the 2013 European Women’s Championships played as physical as they ever have. In the 18th minute, Megan Rapinoe took a nice touch to round her defender, before firing a shot from distance – well within her considerable range – that skimmed just wide from 20 yards.
Sweden meanwhile was a constant threat to launch counterattacks. The dangerous Schelin was the focal point of the attack and she nearly latched on to another ball over the top in the 29th minute before firing right at Harris with a shot from 16 yards in the 38th minute.
Kelley O’Hara had a nice chance at the end of the half when she went on a swashbuckling run from her left back position, cutting inside and beating two defenders before striking a right-footed shot just past the left post.
The USA closed out the first half the better of the two sides, but still with nothing to show for it on the scoreboard.
U.S. head coach Tom Sermanni’s team started the second half as it finished the first, putting Sweden on its heels and finding the breakthrough goal in the 56th minute.
It came off a corner kick from the left side as Rapinoe whipped in a dangerous in-swinger. Morgan lost her mark in front of the Swedish goalkeeper and the U.S. forward was quickest to react, getting her head to the ball and powering home her first goal of the year to bring the U.S. level.
The WNT was firmly the better side now and went in search of the victory against their former coach. Wambach went close in the 57th minute, sliding to meet Rapinoe’s curling cross but sending it just wide from seven yards.
Heather O’Reilly, who menaced Sweden with hard work all game, had a trademark thundering run in the 60th minute, scampering past the Sweden defense down the left side and curling a shot toward the right corner of the goal. Sweden goalkeeper Kristin Hammarstrom punched it clear and Morgan’s follow up was blocked well by a defender.
Sweden was still dangerous on the break but failed to really test Harris in the U.S. net. Emma Berglund had two rapid fire chances in the 69th minute. The first was knocked down by Rampone and the second was fired miles over the goal by the Swedish defender.
As the USA worked hard to preserve the draw and the berth to the title game, central defender Becky Sauerbrunn snuffed out an end-to-end counterattack well in the 80th minute by getting back into the six-yard box to make a vital clearance.
The USA would fashion two more chances before the final whistle. Morgan blazed a shot over the goal in the 86th minute and Rapinoe forced a nice save from Hammarstrom in the 88th with the Sweden goalkeeper diving low to her right to keep out a sizzling strike.
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