Alex Morgan says she doesn’t share the same view as Hope Solo, who sounded off on Sweden after a shocking loss,
Alex Morgan is still at the Olympics, though not in the capacity she hoped she’d be.
She had thought she’d be competing for a gold medal, not fielding questions about one of the most surprising and frustrating outcomes in U.S. women’s national team history — a quarterfinal loss to Sweden on penalty kicks.
Sweden went on to beat Brazil, also in penalty kicks, and will face Germany on Friday in the gold medal match. This is the first time the Americans haven’t reached at least the semifinals in a major international tournament.
Sweden’s coach, Pia Sundhage, coached the U.S. team from 2008 to 2012. As Morgan thinks about the quarterfinal loss and her former coach going for gold again — with another country — she has mixed emotions.
“It’s difficult because, obviously, us being knocked out by Sweden leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, but Pia gave me my first shot with the U.S. team,” Morgan told USA TODAY Sports as part of a press tour highlighting Always’ “Keep Playing ” initiative. “Pia’s had a hard road with the Swedish team, especially last year with the World Cup (Round of 16 loss to Germany). I don’t know if I’m necessarily happy that Sweden is in the final, but I feel like for Pia ( being) our excoach, leaving on good terms with her, it’s probably a best-case scenario.”
Sweden’s style of play — known as parking the bus, which means hunkering down on defense — often gets criticized. After the Americans lost to the Swedes, for example, goaltender Hope Solo called Sweden “a bunch of cowards.”
Morgan thinks the criticism stems from fans.
“When you see two attacking teams and a lot of counterattacking and transition, that’s an exciting game for the fans,” Morgan said. “When you see someone kind of park the bus and sit in and value defense a lot more and have such a difference in possessions and shots between the two teams, I think for fans that’s not always the most exciting game to watch.”
Morgan said that although she thought the USA “played the game that was true to us,” Sweden played a game it thought could beat the Americans — and it worked.
When asked about Solo’s criticism of Sweden, Morgan said she herself always tries to be positive when speaking with reporters or posting on social media.
“I saw her comments, but I feel like those are opinions I don’t share,” Morgan said.
This isn’t the first time Morgan and others have had to respond to or answer for Solo’s inflammatory comments.
But Morgan says that’s part of her job as Solo’s teammate.
“I feel like everything is fair game when you play a team sport,” Morgan said.
“You have to support each other. Sometimes you have to cover for each other.
“That’s just part of playing a team sport.”
“I feel like everything is fair game when you play a team sport. You have to support each other.” Alex Morgan, on responding to or answering for teammates’ comments or opinions