World champion US women’s football team’s two-year shocker

The US women’s football team has conquered nearly everything but the start to the Tokyo Games couldn’t have gone much worse.

The US women’s football team has conquered everything in the football world over the years but have been shocked in the opening game of the 2021 Olympics.

The World No. 1 side and four-time Olympic gold medallists at the 1996, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics – women’s football has only been in the Games since 1996 – were stunned by a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Sweden in the Group G opener.

Stina Blackstenius scored twice and Lina Hurtig added a third goal to complete the crushing victory for the Swedes.

Sweden are no slouches in the women’s game and are ranked 5th in the world.

They also knocked the US out of the Rio Olympics in the quarterfinals before going on to win the silver medal.

The loss hit the US hard.

It was incredible as it was the first time in 44 games — a 3-1 loss in a friendly to France in January 2019 — that the Americans had been defeated.

While it was not unfathomable that Sweden should defeat the US team, it was that they should beat the US so easily, with social media erupting over the thrashing.

GOAL! Hurtig heads home. Sweden lead #USWNT 3-0. This is a shocking result for Team USA in their #Tokyo2020 Olympics opener.

— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) July 21, 2021

You’d have to think the Matildas — and the Football Ferns — are watching this discombobulated #USWNT performance and thinking they have a fighting chance at advancing #Olympics

— Michael Miller (@MikeMillerDC) July 21, 2021

#USWNT’s #Olympic nightmare continues? #Tokyo2020

— Sudatta (@iSudatta) July 21, 2021

Yummy, yummy, US women's football meltdown in my tummy

— Flo Lloyd-Hughes (@FloydTweet) July 21, 2021

A USA Today report began: “Instead of getting revenge for their ouster at the Rio Olympics, the U.S. women got embarrassed.”

US Team captain Megan Rapinoe was blunt in her assessment after the game.

“It is what it is. We got bopped,” Rapinoe said. “I thought we were a little bit nervous, a bit tight, doing dumb stuff.”

The US trying to work out where it all went wrong.

US coach Vlatko Andonovski said time will tell if the side can drag themselves out of this hole and win a fifth gold medal in seven Olympics.

“It’s obvious we put ourselves in a big hole, but we’re the only ones who can get ourselves out of it,” Andonovski said.

“It’s not going to be easy. We’ve got to get positive results in the next two games, but the fact there is still a chance I know this team is not going to give up.”

Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson warned his players not to become overconfident after their stunning performance.

“Yes, naturally (that can happen), but we also just know we can be happy for three points,” he said.

“But it’s a long tournament. Six games in 17 days if you go all the way. We are not in the quarter-finals yet so we have to get better in every game.”

The Swedish team made a statement.

While the US have come back from a first game loss to win gold at the 2008 Olympics, Australia and New Zealand have a chance of knocking the US out of the Olympics with wins.

The top two teams in each group go through to the finals, while the highest two third ranked teams in groups E, F and G can sneak into the knockout stage

New Zealand face the US on Saturday, while Australia get a shot next Tuesday.