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The USWNT is still alive at the World Cup. Barely.

Lindsay Schnell   Paste BN

The postgame show on FOX Sports summed it up best: the result of the USWNT’s match against Portugal didn’t lead to any celebrations, just sighs of relief. 

The Americans are through to the knockout round − barely. A 0-0 draw against Portugal was good enough for the USWNT to take second place in Group E, and advance to the 2023 World Cup round of 16, but it wasn’t pretty. And it almost didn’t happen. 

Needing a win or tie to avoid being eliminated in the group stage for the first time ever at a World Cup or Olympics, the four-time World Cup champions squeaked through against Portugal, a team it had beaten in each of its previous 10 meetings. It was a far closer game than it should have been. 

That’s the good news. The bad news is the USWNT is likely to face old nemesis Sweden in the round of 16. 

And they’re not playing like a team built for a deep run. In fact, if not for the near post, they’d be going home. Portugal's Ana Capeta unleashed a corker early in second-half stoppage time and it ricocheted off the post, saving the USWNT to play another day. 

Despite Rose Lavelle starting for the first time and Lynn Williams replacing Trinity Rodman, the USWNT had barely any spark. Instead, they were as lackluster as they’d been in the first two games, turning the ball over, making passes into empty spaces and not finishing the chances they did have. 

But, they did survive. And from here on out, it’s win or go home. 

On the ground in New Zealand

AUCKLAND, New Zealand − Focused as she is on the task at hand, Megan Rapinoe is also trying to take time to savor what is her last World Cup.

One thing she isn’t spending time on? Thinking about what her legacy will be.

"That’s why you have a job. I’m not going to do your job for you," Rapinoe joked Sunday.

Turning serious, she continued, "I’ve always tried to play the game the right way and to go about things the right way. I’ve always tried to use whatever platform we have − and this platform obviously was built long before I got here and we just continued to add to it − to grow the game, to make the world a better place, to use our voices, to advocate for more.

"Being a women’s professional athlete, we know what the injustices are at least that we have felt. So I think it makes it easy for us to then be an ally in other ways," Rapinoe said. "That’s the real legacy. The most important legacy of this team."

What you missed

It was a rough game for the USWNT vs. Portugal, but there are at least three U.S. fans in New Zealand who won't care much how anyone played: Charlie, Marcel and Madden.

Those are the children of Alex Morgan, Crystal Dunn and Julie Ertz, respectively, all of whom are making their World Cup debut. Suffice it to say, they're stealing hearts and headlines in Auckland and beyond.

You gotta see this

Truth be told, the USWNT's group game against Portugal was pretty ugly, and boring, on account of no goals.

The same cannot be said for the Netherlands vs. Vietnam. While the U.S. was struggling to lock up the No. 2 seed from Group E the Dutch were pouring it on, dominating Vietnam 7-0 for the tournament's most lopsided win.

Quote me on that

"Today was uninspiring. Disappointing. They don’t look fit. They’re playing as individuals and the tactics are too predictable."

Two-time World Cup winner Carli Lloyd on the USWNT's performance vs. Portugal

The Essentials

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