USA scrape into World Cup knockout games
Holders the United States survived a huge scare to reach the last 16 of the Women's World Cup on Tuesday after a 0-0 draw against Portugal, who were unlucky not to claim a sensational win at Eden Park that would have taken them through instead. The USA struggled to impose themselves against opponents ranked 21st in the world and appearing at their first World Cup, and Portugal almost won the game in injury time when substitute Ana Capeta hit the post. Holding on for the draw means Vlatko Andonovski's side finish in second place in Group E. The Netherlands go through as group winners after a 7-0 demolition of a Vietnam side who were beaten just 3-0 by the Americans in their first match at the tournament. That means pre-tournament favourites the USA will move to Australia to play a last-16 tie on Sunday against the winners of Group G, in all likelihood Olympic silver medallists Sweden. Nothing about their performance in front of almost 41,000 in Auckland, or in their two previous matches at the tournament, suggests the United States will find it easy going against a side who finished third at the last World Cup. It is just the second time in Women's World Cup history that the USA have failed to top their group, although on the last occasion, in 2011, they reached the final before losing on penalties to Japan. They had never before won just one group game, and the regression from four years ago in France is striking. That time they won all three matches in the first phase, rattling in 18 goals without reply. Portugal had to win to go through but played as if there was no pressure on them at all, with Andreia Norton shooting over early on and the lively Jessica Silva dragging a shot wide from a good position soon after. They had more of the possession, and the much-fancied Americans struggled to match the intensity or aggression of a Portugal team who had beaten Vietnam 2-0 in their last match. (AFP)