The United States Women's National Team moved to the knockout round of the Women's World Cup with a nervous 0-0 tie against Portugal.

The U.S., the top-ranked team and two-time defending champion, encountered challenges in finding cohesion and scoring opportunities against 21st-ranked Portugal. Notably, in the ten previous meetings, the U.S. had never lost to Portugal and had outscored them 39-0.

During this decisive group play final, Portugal displayed composure and confidence, creating numerous opportunities and dominating possession. In contrast, the U.S. appeared unsettled and struggled to find their rhythm.

In the starting lineup, head coach Vlatko Andonovski made two noteworthy adjustments, providing forward Lynn Williams her first tournament opportunity and adding midfielder Rose Lavelle to the mix.

The changes in the lineup had little effect on the performance of the American team.
As play resumed, the situation remained unchanged, with Portugal persistently launching attacks and nearly securing victory in extra time when a shot hit the post. Portugal's substitute, Ana Capeta, successfully penetrated the U.S. defense, and her shot came incredibly close to ending the U.S.'s tournament run.

Megan Rapinoe entered the match in the 61st minute but couldn't ignite the breakthrough her team required, despite her past history of sparking victories. This result adds to the U.S.'s lackluster and surprising tournament performance. Their journey started with a 3-0 victory over Vietnam and a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands, who secured the group win by defeating Vietnam 7-0 on Tuesday.

The U.S. advances to the next round with the draw against Portugal and will play on Sunday, probably facing third-ranked Sweden (the opponent will be confirmed on Wednesday). However, they will be without Rose Lavelle, who received her second yellow card of the group stage in the first half and will miss the knockout round match."We're disappointed in ourselves," she said after the game.

In this Women's World Cup, Lavelle's criticism finds echoes as fans, former players, and commentators alike express doubts about the team, particularly concerning Coach Andonovski's game strategies and limited use of substitutes.

The U.S. has advanced to the knockout round without winning its group for only the second time in the nine editions of the Women's World Cup.