On one extraordinary evening in Melbourne, the United States women’s national team narrowed its gap with Sweden from a mile to a millimeter. Alyssa Naeher looked like she quite literally did not believe it. The U.S. goalie had been terrific all night and phenomenal at the end, when she made 2.99 saves in the penalty shootout but needed to make three.
The last kick of this USWNT Women’s World Cup went off the right foot of Sweden’s Lina Hurtig, off the hands of a diving Naeher, and up into the air, where it hovered above the goal line and then came down. Naeher batted it away. A review showed the ball had crossed the line by a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a hair.
Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated
