The U.S. women’s soccer team took a devastating 3-0 loss to Sweden early Wednesday morning in their Tokyo Olympic opener, breaking their 44-game winning streak.
All 22 players on Team USA took a knee in solidarity with the radical leftist group Black Lives Matter before the game, a major point of contention with U.S. fans.
U.S. came into the Tokyo Games with the number one ranking in the world. Sweden is ranked fifth in the world and notably knocked out Team USA on penalty kicks in the 2016 Olympics in the quarterfinals.
The two teams last paired off in April, which resulted in a 1-1 draw, the only game the U.S. women had not won since January 2019.
Blackstenius’ header into the far corner off a cross from Sofia Jakobsson in the 26th minute gave Sweden the first-half lead.
The United States came out stale, with its best chance of the opening half coming in the final moments when Rose Lavelle’s shot hit the post. Coach Vlatko Andonovski made changes for the second half, subbing in Carli Lloyd for Alex Morgan and Julie Ertz for Sam Mewis.
But Blackstenius scored again in the 54th minute, beating goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, as the Americans continued to struggle. Lina Hurtig then scored in the 72nd.
FINAL | Not the start we wanted but plenty of tournament to play. We go again on Saturday.
?? 0-3 ?? | #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/dkb50GKpc1
— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) July 21, 2021
As noted by Yahoo!Sports, athletes at the Tokyo Olympics were given space to protest before games and events. Team USA knelt before their kickoff, just as players on Sweden’s women’s team did:
The U.S. women’s national team and other soccer teams knelt before kickoff of their Olympic openers on Wednesday, the first demonstrations under slightly relaxed restrictions on protest at the Games.
The demonstrations were pre-planned, as they have been before various international soccer matches for over a year now as collective statements against racism and other forms of discrimination.
“For us it really feels right to stand up for human rights,” said Swedish defender Amanda Ilestedt. “It was a communication with the U.S. team before, so for us it feels good to do that and it is something we stand for as a team.”
Women’s soccers players from Great Britain and New Zealand kneeled, too, just as Team USA and the Swedish, according to Reuters.
Britain and Chile women’s football teams take a knee on the opening day of action at #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/efOYUZQwSo
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) July 21, 2021
Last November, members of the U.S. women’s soccer team notably wore Black Lives Matter jerseys and kneeled for the national anthem in the Netherlands in solidarity with the BLM movement. As The Daily Wire reported:
“We love our country, and it is a true honor to represent America. It is also our duty to demand that the liberties and freedoms that our country was founded on extend to everyone,” read a statement that members of the team posted on social media before the game, which ended in a 2-0 defeat against the Netherlands.
“Today, we wear Black Lives Matter to affirm human decency. We protest against racial injustice and police brutality against Black people. We protest against the racist infrastructures that do not provide equal opportunity for Black and brown people to fulfill their dreams, including playing on this team,” the statement continued.
“As the United States Women’s National team players, we collectively work toward a society where the American ideals are upheld, and Black lives are no longer systematically targeted.”
“Black Lives Matter,” the statement concluded.
Team USA will be back on Saturday to play New Zealand at 7:30 a.m. EST.
Our belief is greater than any single result. Eyes ahead ?? pic.twitter.com/Qx3kEt33JP
— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) July 21, 2021
Related: U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Don BLM Shirts And Kneel For National Anthem On Foreign Soil
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