United States women’s national team forward Alex Morgan has said she is “devastated” that they will not compete for the Olympic gold medal, while Megan Rapinoe said she was “gutted” about the defeat to Canada.
The USWNT lost 1-0 to their North American rivals on Monday at the Tokyo Games, ending their campaign to become the first team to win a World Cup title and an Olympic gold medal back-to-back.
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“Devastated to say the least not to be competing for a gold medal, but hungry for more and thankful we get to compete for bronze in 2 days. Thank you everyone for the support,” Morgan wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.
The USWNT hadn’t lost to Canada since 2001, with Monday breaking a 36-game unbeaten streak in the continental derby.
The U.S. will now play Australia in the bronze-medal match on Thursday, while Sweden and Canada play in the gold-medal match on Friday.
“Gutted. Motivated. Together. We have it all to play for,” Rapinoe posted on Instagram.
“Not done yet,” Carli Lloyd, who remained on the pitch alone to do sprints after the game, posted on social media.
Vlatko Andonovski’s side fell to a second-half penalty from Canada’s Jessie Fleming.
The team will be without goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher — the star of its quarterfinal against Netherlands where she saved three penalties — who injured her right knee and was forced off after just 30 minutes of the semifinal.
The USWNT confirmed in a statement that Naeher “suffered a hyperextension of her right knee and a bone contusion.”
Following an MRI scan, no ligament damage was revealed, but the 33-year-old will be unavailable for the game against Australia.
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