Sweden brought an end to Team USA's reign as FIFA Women's World Cup champions at AAMI Park on August 6, prevailing 5-4 on penalties after two hours of gruelling US-dominated football had concluded without a goal being scored. The reigning champions were by far the better-performed team throughout proceedings, but in Swedish goalkeeper Zecira Musovic came up against the human equivalent of a brick wall - she had a fabulous game, and was largely responsible for the Americans' inability to break the deadlock. Their first attempt to do so materialised in the seventh minute, Andi Sullivan's twenty-yarder flying past the post after Alex Morgan, Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith combined in attack, with the last-mentioned being well closed down by Sweden's defence. Musovic was first called into action in the eighteenth minute to keep out a twenty yard drive from Rodman, and she thwarted the same player eight minutes later, Rodman having pounced on a Filippa Angeldal error before rounding Jonna Andersson and letting fly. In between times, Sweden had threatened the US goal via a Kosovare Asllani corner which was heading in by the far post when Alyssa Naeher rose to punch the ball to safety, the only time in the first half she was called into action. Quite where this USA team had been during group play Lord alone knows! They were a team transformed in this match, much more like their usual selves, the Team USA the world has come to know, and which has played such a significant role in growing the women's game globally. On the half-hour, Smith wriggled through two challenges in the area after being released by Morgan down the left. The rising young star played the ball inside to Lindsey Horan, who was swiftly closed down by Sweden's defence, prompting a counter-attack in which Johanna Kaneryd, Asllani and Stina Blackstenius all featured before the last-mentioned was shut down superbly by Julie Ertz. Four minutes later, Sullivan pinged in a corner which Horan sent crashing against the crossbar from eight yards. A further four minutes elapsed before Naomi Girma fed Smith, who brought Rodman into play, a prospect made reality by Horan's clever off-the-ball run. Sweden cleared their lines - just! - on this occasion, and survived again three minutes before half-time as Musovic blocked at the feet of Morgan, who was still looking for her first goal at these Finals, and tenth in Finals history. It didn't take the USA long to get back in the driving seat after the interval, Emily Fox's driven cross being met by Horan on the volley. Only a superb reflex save low to her left by Musovic prevented the American captain from opening the scoring in the 53rd minute. Three minutes later, Horan sliced a volley wide of the mark after Fridolina Rolfo and Blackstenius had inspired Sweden's best attack so far. There was no end product, however, a statement which equally applied to the unmarked Smith in the 62nd minute. Although she was denied by Musovic's save at her feet, the winger had strayed offside in the build-up. After Naeher had plucked Asllani's free-kick off the head of Magdalena Eriksson, substitute Lynn Williams combined with Smith to get down the left and pull the ball back for Morgan, who arrived late on the scene, much to the ire of Amanda Ilestedt, who took umbrage to the striker's ill-timed challenge. Fifteen minutes from time, a rare "Blagult" raid saw

Asllani's round-the-corner pass release Johanna Kaneryd down the right. She evaded a challenge but made no further progress, with the outstanding Emily Sonnett cutting out her cross - the midfielder had a great game for the USA. She looked to cap it with a goal a minute later, her twenty-yarder sailing over the bar after Williams had gone down in the area. Swedish changes after this goal seemed to tighten things up for the European team, who went close to opening the scoring five minutes from time, Naeher parrying to safety the attempt of Swedish substitute Sofia Jakobsson. Back came the world champions, with time running out. Williams got in on the right and delivered a super cross which Morgan met with a downward header. Musovic reacted brilliantly, diving low to her right to turn what looked to be a certain goal to safety. That save ensured an extra half-hour of action, the early part of which saw Sweden in the ascendancy. But they were caught out by Girma's ball over the top in the 96th minute, which sent Morgan charging through the inside left channel. Her angled drive was turned round the near post by Musovic. The USA threatened again five minutes later, Smith playing in Williams on the right. Her angled drive was parried behind incoming substitute Megan Rapinoe by Musovic, the ball breaking for Horan, whose drive was blocked by the imperious Ilestedt - she's had a great World Cup. Into the second half of extra time, Williams and Smith combined on the right, the latter's rising near post drive once again finding Musovic in unbeatable form, something Williams confirmed in the 111th minute, although her shot was a tame one, the last of note which the USA would fire in this gruelling two-hour tussle. Five minutes from time, Naeher saved at the feet of Swedish substitute Rebecka Blomqvist as the European team went downtown. But goals weren't coming in this one - the only prospect of seeing them would be in the penalty shootout which the full-time whistle brought about. The execution of the first five spot-kicks in the shootout was textbook quality. But when Nathalie Bjorn sent her attempt sailing over the bar, it was advantage USA, an advantage swiftly squandered when Rapinoe sent her spot-kick into orbit. "Blagult"'s chance to draw level saw Naeher dive to her left to keep out Blomqvist's effort, but Smith spurned the opportunity to put the holders 4-2 up on penalties, firing wide of the target. Hanna Bennison finally drew Sweden level - 3-3, moving the game into sudden death. Naeher and Eriksson exchanged successful spot-kicks before Kelley Ohara stepped up to the plate for the USA - and hit the post! On Lina Hurtig's shoulders lay the destiny of two nations, but her penalty was saved by Naeher. The ball spun skywards, however, and Naeher's second attempt to keep it out proved to be too late, goal-line technology confirming that the ball had fully crossed the line by a millimetre at most before the goalkeeper pawed it to safety - Sweden, 5-4 on penalties. The world champions' reign was over. Sweden:     Musovic; Bjorn, Ilestedt, Eriksson, Andersson; Angeldal (Bennison, 97), Asllani (booked, 49 (Hurtig, 81)), Rubensson; Kaneryd (Jakobsson, 81), Blackstenius (Blomqvist, 112), Rolfo USA:          Naeher; Fox (Ohara, 120), Girma, Ertz (booked, 119), Dunn; Sonnett (Mewis, 120), Horan, Sullivan; Rodman (Williams, 66), Morgan (Rapinoe, 99), Smith Referee:     Stephanie Frappart (France)