Internet reacts to crushing USWNT quarterfinal loss to Sweden

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:14 p.m. ET

Dan Carson

The US women's national soccer team fell to Sweden in a crusher on Friday, losing a 1-1 tie in penalties in the women's quarterfinals in Rio.

The match featured more than its share of drama even prior to the penalty portion, with disallowed goals blemishing an otherwise engaging game across the board.

Quite plainly, this was a gut-checking humbler for the USWNT, and the reaction on Twitter to the defeat ranged everywhere from dumbstruck to sad to downright rancorous.

Bummer. #USWNT
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) August 12, 2016

Awful loss from the #USWNT
— Jordan Indermuhle (@Jmuhle_10) August 12, 2016

A rather colourful way to say that the opposing team adhered to strategy and won. Embarrassing for #USWNT https://t.co/l2swQlnEPW
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) August 12, 2016

#USWNT performance is about as embarrassing as England vs. Iceland
— (((Purgatory FC))) (@ChiTownSpurs) August 12, 2016

Gutted for the USWNT. Going out in the q'finals to Sweden on penalties is embarrassing for a usually excellent side. https://t.co/kg8r1g4Wkz
— Graham J (@GrahamJ97) August 12, 2016

Welp, that's a terrible defeat for the #USWNT #wheresAbby
— Todd Zoltoski (@tzee9) August 12, 2016

The harshest criticism after the loss was leveled toward U.S. keeper Hope Solo, who called the Swedish players "cowards" in her post-match presser.

#USWNT's Hope Solo "we lost to a bunch of cowards. The better team did not win' #Rio2016
— Kevin Baxter (@kbaxter11) August 12, 2016

This didn't go over well:

This is the kind of thing that makes the #USWNT hard to cheer for (and easy to cheer against). https://t.co/TqNkSpMyFA
— Jason Mills (@iamjasonmills) August 12, 2016

not gonna lie, not sad that hope solo lost https://t.co/82qqhayhRN
— Robby Kalland (@RKalland) August 12, 2016

Mope Solo https://t.co/FKg5PuQYFi
— David Morrow (@Dmorrow96) August 12, 2016

hey @hopesolo, Sweden weren't cowards, the USA was outplayed and outcoached.
— pidge's protector ツ (@starryclovers) August 12, 2016

Jabba's reaction to Hope Solo pic.twitter.com/cOCFxaTUTG
— Jared (@gothedistance49) August 12, 2016

Nice to see the putrescent Hope Solo went out with the same class she showed beating up her relatives#ByeFelicia https://t.co/vZFGX4q0UI
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) August 12, 2016

I have so many hot takes about what Hope Solo pulled. Has any person been a worse caretaker of their own legacy? https://t.co/uW0llziCb9
— Richard Farley (@richardfarley) August 12, 2016

Yeah. Solo didn't come into this Olympics with an unending good well of public support, and things like lambasting an opponent doesn't help her cause.

Dan is on Twitter. Oreo was cowardly for not making Swedish Fish Oreos sooner.