The U.S. women’s soccer team was supposed to be dominant going into Rio, but everything changed Friday. During a shootout with underdog Sweden, the United States lost.
The New York Times reports:
“It was a stunning ending for the American women, who only a year ago had captured the World Cup to great acclaim and then been honored with a ticker-tape parade in Manhattan.”
After the shocking loss, American goalie Hope Solo (who’s no stranger to controversy) laid into the Swedish team while speaking with reporters:
“I thought that we played a courageous game. I thought we had many opportunities on goal. I think we showed a lot of heart. We came back from a goal down. I’m very proud of this team.
But I also think we played a bunch of cowards. The best team did not win today. I strongly believe that. I think you saw American heart. You saw us give everything we had today.”
Solo then took it a step further, trashing Sweden’s gameplay:
“Sweden dropped off. They didn’t want to open play. They didn’t want to pass the ball. They didn’t want to play great soccer. It was a combative game, a physical game. Exactly what they wanted and exactly what their game plan was.
They dropped into a 50. They didn’t try and press. They didn’t want to open the game, and they tried to counter with longballs. We had that style of play when Pia was our coach.
I don’t think they’re going to make it far in the tournament. I think it was very cowardly. But they won. They’re moving on, and we’re going home.”
Full Hope Solo quote on Sweden after US was eliminated from the Olympics today. http://pic.twitter.com/UZVCAeur6m
— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) August 12, 2016
Solo’s former coach Pia Sundhage, who currently coaches the Swedish team, simply said:
“I don’t give a crap.”
Following Solo’s remarks, Twitter erupted, briefly making “Hope Solo” the number one trending topic on the social media platform.
Twitter users did not hold back:
Parents, don’t let your daughters grow-up to be Hope Solo.
— chris toronyi (@christoronyi) August 12, 2016
Hope Solo is an embarrassment to the US. Sorry, world, she’s a brat and she doesn’t speak for us.
— ZombieHarambe2016 (@LilMissRightie) August 12, 2016
Hope Solo is a fantastic player, and a terrible person.
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) August 12, 2016
Some even went as far as to reference Solo’s domestic violence charges:
Hope Solo sure hates getting beaten for someone who put her sister in law and underage nephew in the hospital.
— Based Ash (@LibertarianHoe) August 12, 2016
Ppl are more mad about Hope Solo calling a team cowards than they were about her domestic violence case & still being able to play w/TM USA.
— Slotty Pippen (@fearthe_beard11) August 12, 2016
There were others, however, that offered a different perspective:
Btw male soccer players say worse than what Hope Solo (correctly) stated and no one blinks. You go, girl.
— Sean Kent (@seankent) August 12, 2016
as far as sports anti-heroes go, it really doesn’t get better than hope solo
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) August 12, 2016
I don’t have a problem with what Hope Solo said. She’s a competitor. Stated her honest opinion with passion. Perhaps a synonym for cowards..
— Bucci Mane (@Buccigross) August 12, 2016
The “Best Comment Award” might have to go to users @fakemikemulloy and @5kl:
Honestly, I agree with Hope Solo. Sweden should have done the right thing and just all pretend to faint anytime we shot the ball.
— mike mulloy (@fakemikemulloy) August 12, 2016
Hope Solo disgracing the Solo family name more than Kylo Ren.
— Kris (@5kl) August 12, 2016
Solo eventually responded to the backlash, telling Sports Illustrated‘s Grant Wahl:
“I’ve won and lost a lot of games in my career. And not all wins have been pretty. Sometimes it’s just finding a way to win that matters the most, and tonight, Sweden found a way to beat us.
Nevertheless, I am so proud of the way we played tonight — our fight, our heart, and the skill we showed. Things don’t always go the way you want them to. Such is life, and such is sport.”
Not exactly an apology.
Sweden, having advanced to the semifinals, will play their next game Tuesday.
The post Hope Solo Called Out for ‘Shameful’ Comments After Upset Loss to Sweden in Rio Olympics appeared first on Independent Journal Review.
Source: independent journal
The post Hope Solo Called Out for ‘Shameful’ Comments After Upset Loss to Sweden in Rio Olympics appeared first on .@tonygreene113.
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