US Advances to Round of 16 in Women's World Cup with Scoreless Draw Against Portugal

 The American team made it to the knockout phase thanks to the narrow tie.

                 

AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Despite the entrance of Megan Rapinoe as a second-half substitute, the United States struggled to find their spark and settled for an uninspiring 0-0 draw against Portugal on Tuesday, securing their spot in the round of 16 in the Women's World Cup.

The tie helped the United States avoid a major upset and ensured their advancement to the knockout round. However, their performance was far from convincing in a match they were expected to win.

With four World Cup titles, the United States is the most successful team in the tournament's history, and they have never been eliminated in the group stage. Nevertheless, this was the first time they won just one game in the group play.

Their fate also depended on the result of the Netherlands' match against Vietnam, which took place simultaneously in Dunedin. The Netherlands' decisive 7-0 victory pushed them to the top of Group E, relegating the United States to the second seed.

Despite controlling possession and having better chances, the United States struggled to capitalize on opportunities and went into halftime with a scoreless draw.

The frustration of the US fans was evident at Eden Park, with scattered boos among the crowd as the teams headed for the tunnel at halftime. In the second half, a fire alarm went off due to a malfunctioning sprinkler.

Rapinoe, the top scorer at the 2019 World Cup, came on as a substitute in the 61st minute but couldn't find the elusive goal.

US coach Vlatko Andonovski made changes to the starting lineup for the match, introducing Lynn Williams and Rose Lavelle for the first time in this World Cup. Lavelle had made a significant impact as a halftime substitute in the previous match against the Netherlands, providing an assist for the equalizing goal.

Despite the less-than-convincing performance against Portugal, the United States has a strong history in the Women's World Cup and has not faced elimination before the final match since 2007.

Moving forward, the United States will face the top team from Group G in the round of 16, while the Netherlands will take on the second-place team from the same group.