Armour: Calling Sweden 'bunch of cowards' should be last straw for Hope Solo
RIO DE JANEIRO — Hope Solo is an embarrassment to both her team and her country.
Whether U.S. Soccer will finally have the guts to cut ties with its brilliant but boorish star is another matter.
The perennial problem child was at it again Friday, mouthing off after the Americans made their earliest exit ever from a major tournament and calling Sweden “a bunch of cowards.”
“The best team did not win today. I strongly believe that,” Solo said, according to Sports Illustrated. “I think you saw American heart.”
It makes no difference if the U.S. women displayed the grit and never-give-up attitude that is a trademark of American athletes. They could have played a woman or two down, bloodied and bruised and it would not excuse Solo acting like a poor loser and taking potshots at an opponent.
U.S. women's soccer out of Rio Olympics after stunning loss to Sweden
Look, she has every right to be disappointed. The loss on penalty kicks ended the U.S. streak of Olympic titles at three, and continued the no-gold jinx of reigning World Cup champions.
But the Americans were not robbed nor were they beaten by a lucky goal. Sweden did not play dirty or take cheap shots that endangered the health and safety of the Americans.
You may not like Sweden’s bunker-like style of play or find it aesthetically pleasing. But it’s a sound strategy against a team with dangerous strikers like the Americans, and has been used by teams in the Premier League, Champions League and World Cup.
Why? Because it works.
Trailing 1-0 in the second half, the Americans managed to get the equalizer from Alex Morgan. But they could never get enough space or opportunity to create the winner, either in regulation or overtime.
Morgan missed the Americans’ first penalty kick, but they got new life when Solo stopped Sweden’s third. But after Christen Press skied her attempt, Solo decided to open up her bag of tricks.
With Lisa Dahlkvist standing at the spot, Solo motioned for new gloves and made a show of taking her old ones off and putting the new ones on. It was a transparent attempt to ice Dahlkvist – just as she’d done last year against Germany’s Celia Sasic in the World Cup semifinals.
It worked against Sasic. It didn’t against Dahlkvist, who buried her shot to send Sweden into the semifinals and the Americans packing.
“Sweden dropped off,” Solo fumed. “They didn’t want to open play. They didn’t want to pass the ball. They didn’t want to play great soccer. It was a combative game, a physical game. Exactly what they wanted and exactly what their game plan was.
“They didn’t try to press,” she added. “They didn’t want to open the game. And they tried to counter with long balls.”
And her point was? This wasn’t an exhibition or a shoot for a “Pure Soccer” video. This was a win-or-go-home game in the Olympics. You do what you need to survive and you don’t owe any apologies.
Rather than griping and whining about it, take it like a compliment and find a way to break it down.
But graciousness and decorum have never been Solo’s strong suit.
There’s no question she’s the best goalkeeper in soccer, now and perhaps ever. But her penchant for poor choices, both in words and deeds, make her a horrible representative for the United States.
Brazilian fans have taunted her “Zika! Zika!” after she posted photos of her over-the-top collection of mosquito repellent. She caused a rift within the team at the 2007 World Cup, throwing her coach and a teammate under the bus after she was pulled before the semifinal.
It doesn’t matter that she was right. Key players don’t put themselves at the center of firestorms.
Her personal life has also brought unwelcome attention. She was accused of domestic violence by her sister and nephew two years ago, a case that is still making its way through the court system. She was suspended in early 2015 after her husband was arrested for drunken driving while behind the wheel of a team van; Solo was a passenger.
USWNT will have to wait years for redemption after shocking Olympic loss
Frustrated as federation officials might have been with her, they always manage to forgive her. Sure enough, spokesman Neil Buethe said Friday night that U.S. Soccer had no comment.
The U.S. Olympic Committee was a little more pointed, with Chef de Mission Alan Ashley saying he saw “two courageous teams on the field, both fighting hard to represent their country and advance in the tournament.”
Solo's comments were befitting of neither an American star nor an Olympian. She ought never wear the U.S. uniform again.
Follow columnist Nancy Armour on Twitter @nrarmour.
