Post Saves the United States Women’s Team

2023-08-01
Soccer

If this shot by Portugal’s Ana Capeta doesn’t hit the post the United States women’s national team would be out of the 2023 World Cup tournament and going home. Soccer is a funny game sometimes. And a frustrating and sad one too if your team loses due to a shot hitting the post.

In extra time, at the 90:57 minute mark to be exact, the post saves the game for the United States.

It is a great first touch and shot by Portugal’s Ana Capeta. She is very composed in such an intense situation. United States goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher dives towards the shot and surely thanks the post for being there.

Capeta’s shot would have sent Portugal to the next round and made her a hero in her country if this shot had gone in.

What is also incredible is Capeta had just come into the game in the 89th minute. Additionally, she comes on as a substitute for one of Portugal’s better players, Diana Silva.

Capeta of Portugal hits the right post with a right footed shot from the top of the goal box. Julie Ertz goes up to try to win the header but instead Telma Encarnaçao just barely flicks on the through ball. The soccer ball falls right to the feet of Capeta as three desperate United States defenders converge on her. Encarnacao had just come into the game as well. So two substitutes nearly combined to send the United States out of the World Cup tournament.

Portugal’s team was in tears after the game. Understandably. The great announcer Andrés Cantor has the call in the video below. It is worth listening to and watching. The post saves United States women’s national team from a very early exit from the World Cup.

Overall, I wonder if this will be a wake up call for the United States women’s national team. Countries like Portugal are starting to catch up to the United States. Actually, teams the world over are starting to catch up to the women’s national team that has been so dominate for years.

Carli Lloyd had quite the statement about the game. Saying: “The player of the match was that post”. Lloyd was in part reacting to the USWNT celebrating their draw versus Portugal to advance past the group stage of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Moreover, she didn’t think the players should be smiling or dancing after the post saved them.