BRISBANE, Australia — Nobody beats Sweden on the rebound from a Women’s World Cup semifinal loss. Not even the match hosts.
The Swedish girls prolonged their very best report in World Cup third-place suits to 4, with Fridolina Rolfo and Kosovare Asllani scoring Saturday in a scientific 2-0 win over Australia.
“It feels amazing. We showed from minute one, we were the better team,” Rolfo said. “We deserve this medal.”
It was a disappointing finish for the Matildas, who captivated their country during their run to the semifinals for the first time.
The tournament co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand has set attendance records, and two of Australia’s matches became the most-watched programs on domestic commercial TV in 20 years.
With the Sydney Opera House lit up in the green-and-gold colors of Australia and supporters flocking to fan zones to watch on giant screens in cities across the country, there was still hope of some kind of medal for the Matildas.
Ultimately, it ended with back-to-back losses to the No. 3- and No. 4-ranked teams in the world even with star striker Sam Kerr back in the starting lineup.
“We wanted to win, we wanted to have some hardware to take home. Wasn’t to be,” Kerr stated. But, “the way the fans have got behind us, the way girls have carried themselves, I think we’ve proven to the world we are a footballing nation.
“We couldn’t get it done tonight, but hopefully we’ve inspired people for many years to come.”
European champion England and Spain are assembly in the ultimate in Sydney on Sunday, and Sweden’s win way European countries will end first, moment and 0.33.
Sweden used to be dominant for many of the fit, staying compact and arranged and exploiting holes in the protection.
Rolfo transformed from the penalty spot with a low, curling left-foot shot in the thirtieth minute after Australian defender Clare Hunt used to be penalized after a VAR overview for tripping up Stina Blackstenius.
Asllani’s well-timed strike to end off a long-range Swedish counterattack in the 62nd sealed the win.
Goalkeeper Zecira Musovic saved another blank sheet in remarkable match for Sweden, blockading Kerr’s angled right-foot strike in first-half stoppage over and over again preventing Clare Polkinghorne’s shot from correct in entrance in the seventieth.
Kerr neglected Australia’s wins over Ireland and Canada and disappointed loss to Nigeria in the staff degree after injuring her left calf muscle on the eve of the match. She made a tentative, overdue go back in the round-of-16 win over Denmark and went on as a second-half exchange in the dramatic, penalty shootout win over France in the quarterfinals. She began on Saturday in an unchanged Australian lineup following Wednesday’s 3-1 semifinal loss to England.
Kerr injured her correct leg in a take on in the seventy fifth minute and limped off the box for some fast remedy however returned to proceed enjoying.
A 2-1 loss to Spain in Auckland despatched Sweden into acquainted territory. The Swedes, runners-up in 2003, beat Germany in 1991, France in 2011 and England 4 years in the past of their earlier bronze-medal suits. They had been had been additionally silver medalists at the Tokyo Olympics and the Rio Games in 2016.
While the Swedish squad used to be taking bows in entrance in their clusters of fanatics in the capability, virtually 50,000-strong crowd, the Matildas did a lap to say thank you.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used to be amongst the officers on the podium to provide the bronze medals to the victors. And he later commiserated with the Matildas on the box.
“It’s sad that it’s come to an end. This has been the best four weeks of our careers,” Kerr stated of the first Women’s World Cup to be staged in the Southern Hemisphere. “It would have been nice to go out on a high. But we have to reflect and think of how amazing this is.
“We’ve by no means come fourth prior to. Although it’s disappointing (now), we’ll suppose again to this in a few weeks and be in point of fact pleased with how we did.”
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AP World Cup protection: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup
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