USA vs. Sweden: Everything to know, time, how to watch round of 16 match

The United States women’s national team advanced past the group stage – but just barely.

After a lifeless 0-0 draw with Portugal on Tuesday (combined with the Netherlands hammering Vietnam, 7-0, to win Group E), the U.S. team is being loudly questioned heading into its first match of the knockout stage against No. 2-ranked Sweden. 

We’ve put together everything you need to know ahead of kickoff.

How to watch United States vs. Sweden:

+ The match will air on FOX and the FOX Sports app at 5 a.m. ET on Sunday, with coverage beginning at 4 a.m. ET. Full replays of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 are available on FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App. Here’s how to watch every game of the tournament.

What to know ahead of the Sweden matchup:

+ What do the Americans and their understandably nervous fans need to be wary of Sunday? It’s not a short list. Here’s our scouting report on Sweden and a prediction. (By the way, though, Sweden might be down a key piece.) And here’s the matchup broken down by the numbers.

+ The team understands the seriousness of this match. “It hasn’t been the tournament that I would have hoped,” captain Alex Morgan said. “But at the same time, having this incredible opportunity in front of us in the round of 16, facing Sweden, a team we know extremely well, I think there’s no question we are highly motivated to play this game.” The big question now: Can coach Vlatko Andonovski adapt his game plan?

+ One important player to watch: goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. She hasn’t been challenged much so far this tournament but that should change against Sweden. “I’ll just say I hope [Naeher] doesn’t have a lot of action in this next game,” U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski said with a smile. “[But] we trust and believe and [have] confidence in Alyssa. She will face any challenge.”

+ Betting the game? Here’s everything to know, as well as picks from Chris “The Bear” Fallica.

+ How are you feeling about that 5 a.m. ET kickoff? The fact the United States failed to win Group E at the Women’s World Cup left a lot to unpack, and the first items to come out of the suitcase should be an alarm clock, a coffee mug and a book entitled “Most Convincing Ways To Call In Sick.” Do you wake up for the game? Or do you stay up?

+ Whatever it is, the two teams that meet each other in the most anticipated of this World Cup’s round of 16 clashes Sunday don’t like each other much anymore. Too much has happened. The stakes are too high now. 

+ There is something to see here, and something to feel, and something, if you’ve been following this squad for a while, that seems completely freaking outlandish: The USWNT will go into its next game … as an underdog.

+ Make no mistake: This will still surely be the two-time defending champions’ most difficult opponent so far. But it’s also a matchup that, in a funny way, could actually be more comfortable for them.

+ if this team isn’t careful, it could make the wrong kind of history on Sunday. The USWNT has never failed to make it to the semifinal of a World Cup and has never finished worse than third place. Is this legendary dynasty coming to an end? Not yet. There is still time to salvage this World Cup by winning the next game. But it’s certainly been put on notice.

+ As the players prepare for this potentially historic elimination game — the U.S. has never not made it to a World Cup semifinal — they are trying to block out any disparaging of the team’s worst performance in the group stage in its history. That said, their coach was brutally frank – calling the last performance “crap.”

‘World Cup Tonight’ crew reacts to United States manager Vlatko Andonovski’s comments ahead of USWNT vs. Sweden

+ This is supposed to be one of the highest points or their careers, but on the field, the Americans don’t look to be having fun. Changing that could be the key to any turnaround.           

+ The United States will be without one of its top players in its round of 16 match. Rose Lavelle picked up a yellow card in the 39th minute of its final Group E match against Portugal. Because she also received a yellow card in the second half of USWNT’s draw against the Netherlands last week, Lavelle is assessed an automatic one-game suspension. Now the focus shifts to how U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski will replace Lavelle in the round of 16 match against Sweden.

+ Sweden head coach Peter Gerhardsson was able to rest nine of his starters with an eye on the USA matchup, as the team took care of Argentina on Wednesday. Will rest give the Swedes a physical advantage?

+ Do we even dare look ahead beyond Sunday, given that Sweden is the world No. 2, beat the USA in both the Rio and Tokyo Olympics, and just rattled off a comprehensive thumping of Italy? Yes, we do. Here’s what the path looks like over the next four games for the U.S.

United States vs. Sweden preview

+ The Portugal match made it clear: The USA has lost its fear factor. No longer do teams quake in their cleats at the mere sight of Alex Morgan, Lindsey Horan, Megan Rapinoe and that crest on the jersey with the four title-winning stars sewn in above it.

+ Even after a near-disaster, the USWNT is refusing to sound the alarm. “I’m not concerned at all,” said co-captain Lindsey Horan. This, after all, is the message the team has been sticking to through three games. Nothing has changed. But can the U.S. flip the switch? The team believes it can. “It’s not like we don’t have the pieces. It’s not like we have not done this before against good opponents,” coach Vlatko Andonovski said.

+ Why has the U.S. looked so disjointed anyway? The two-time defending champs have sputtered throughout the World Cup thus far. Is it injuries? Youth? Age? Coaching? Unfamiliar lineups? We assess all the possibilities.

+ As expected, the Americans came out on the front foot against Portugal. But as had been the case in their first two games, the favorites were slow, sloppy, disjointed and utterly toothless. For all their individual talent, they again didn’t look like a team. What’s plaguing this team? Alexi Lalas, meanwhile, dropped the U.S. all the way to eighth in his World Cup power rankings.

+ World Cup legend Carli Lloyd termed the United States’ performance as “very lackluster” and had thoughts on how the players conducted themselves after the disappointing result. “I have never witnessed something like that,” Lloyd said, as she gestured toward an on-set monitor displaying USWNT athletes smiling and dancing after the game. “There’s a difference between being respectful to the fans and saying hello to your family, but to be dancing and smiling — I mean, the player of the match was that post. We’re lucky to not be going home right now.” Lloyd followed up with Martin Rogers to emphasize that she is saying these things because she cares: “I am always going to care. That was 17 years of my life and … it gave me everything in my life. It just hurts me. It hurt me at the end of my career, those last couple of years to see the change and the shift in that culture and in that mentality. That hurt me to leave seeing what was coming.”

‘The player of that match was that post’ — Carli Lloyd reacts to USWNT celebrating after narrowly escaping defeat by Portugal

+ The “World Cup NOW” crew — Jimmy Conrad, Leslie Osborne, Melissa Ortiz and Kathryn Gill — discussed what possible lineup changes USWNT should make for the round of 16, calling for the return of a couple key veterans. 

+ The United States’ section in a potential Women’s World Cup knockout bracket is shaping up as a murderers’ row — and there’s nothing the Americans can do about it. The side of the draw that both the Group E winner and the runner-up are destined to land in is stacked with the most in-form teams in the tournament and some genuine heavyweights. Martin Rogers looks ahead at what could await the USWNT.

+ It’s stressful pursuing a World Cup three-peat, but off the pitch, this U.S. team comes together over one thing in particular: Coffee. That’s right, the USWNT views coffee not just as a pick-me-up but as a bonding ritual.

+ Julie Ertz played center back at the 2015 World Cup, but has mostly transitioned to playing as a holding defensive midfielder over the last few years. But when Becky Sauerbrunn was ruled out of this tournament with an injury days before the final roster was announced at the end of June, Andonovski asked Ertz to play her position. For the U.S., she has been that commanding leader in the central defense. “It’s what we needed,” Andonovski said. 

‘This team needs us to get behind them’ — Heather O’Reilly on the tough criticism the U.S. is facing after draw vs. Portugal

Intro to the USWNT:

+ Just getting familiar with this version of the USWNT? Take a look at our full guide to the 23-woman roster and Carli Lloyd’s look at the 15 most important U.S. players. Our FOX Sports panel of experts also debated the team’s most important player. 

+ The U.S. women’s national team has a chance to make more history this summer if it wins a record fifth title and third in a row. Only four teams have gone back-to-back. No nation has completed the three-peat. Here’s more on the U.S. quest. By the way, the whole U.S. title chase is being followed for a Netflix docuseries.

Editor’s picks — our favorite pregame reads:

+ The 2023 version of the USWNT has three mothers on the roster, matching a previous record set in 2015. But it wasn’t always that way. “I’m just really grateful for the women before me that fought for mom athletes,” Alex Morgan said. (Read Laken Litman on the “badass” OG moms of the USWNT)

‘When I’m home, I’m just mom’ — Alex Morgan, Julie Ertz and Crystal Dunn reflect on being first-time mothers at the World Cup

+ The USWNT is rooted in a simple objective: Leave the game better than you found it for posterity. It’s built on a bond created and fostered by mentorship that’s proudly passed down through generations. This year’s team has three players the perfectly exemplify that. (Read Laken Litman on the USWNT mentorship circle)

+ Trinity Rodman is a candidate to be a breakout star for the USWNT — and, yep, she’s Dennis Rodman’s daughter. And not only has she internet-binged Dennis’ basketball highlights for years, but she still uses his hardwood techniques to benefit her own soccer game. “I watched my dad play a lot more than people really know,” she said. “My brother [USC transfer DJ Rodman] lived for watching my dad’s clips.” (Read Martin Rogers on how Trinity is modeling her game after her father’s)

+ Sophia Smith was expected to take hold of her moment this summer more than any other USWNT player. And her supreme confidence definitely helps. “From Day 1, I’m a winner,” Smith said. “I have to win. It makes me sick to lose anything. Card games, anything. When it comes to soccer, I just find a way.” (Read Laken Litman on the USWNT breakout star candidate)

+ For the world champion 2015 U.S. women’s national team, the ’99ers were the inspiration. But for this version of the national team, the 2015 squad is the touchstone. (Read Doug McIntyre on how this young roster was shaped by the 2015 squad)

+ Alex Morgan’s father, Mike, never misses his daughter’s games. Literally. Since Alex was 14, Mike guesstimates he has been to every single match. “He’s literally at everything,” Megan Rapinoe said. (Read Laken Litman on the ultimate soccer dad)

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