Naomi Girma of the United States vies with Diana Silva of Portugal during their Group E match at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, Aug. 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)
The United States survived a late scare to advance into the Women's World Cup knockout stage.
AUCKLAND, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Portugal was close to eliminating the U.S. in the Women's World Cup here on Tuesday, but the post denied its last-16 hope, allowing the defending champion to advance from Group E.
Portugal and U.S. came into the duel in Auckland, competing with the Netherlands for two places in the round of 16.
Debutante Portugal grabbed a 2-0 victory over Vietnam last time out and looked to build on that success as they aimed to reach the knockout stage.
The U.S. was in an unfamiliar position of going behind against the Netherlands in Wellington, the first time they have gone behind in a Women's World Cup match since 2011, but they found a second-half equalizer to take a point. They knew a draw or a win would see them progress, which would make it nine successive times that they have qualified for the knockout stage.
Goalkeeper Ines Pereira (4th L) of Portugal saves a shot during the match. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)
As the Netherlands had sealed one last-16 spot by churning out a lot of goals against Vietnam in the other group match, U.S. and Portugal had to fight for the rest one.
Despite 13 attempts throughout the game, U.S. failed to unlock Portugal's defence while the European side squandered the best opportunity to rewrite the history in the dying minutes when a horrible defense error allowed Ana Capeta to break into the box but only to see her strike smash the upright with goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher well-beaten.
With the hard-fought draw, U.S. will face off the winner of Group G, who is expected to be Sweden. ■
