Americans avoid upset to reach Women’s World Cup knockout round after 0-0 draw with Portugal

Ana Capeta nearly scored for Portugal in stoppage time but her shot hit the left post and the United States escaped with a un – inspiring 0-0 draw Tuesday night that got them through — just barely — to the knockout round.

The US won only one game in group play for the first time in tournament history, scoring just four goals over three games. With the scoreless draw, the United States fell to second in the group behind the Netherlands and will head to Melbourne, Australia, for a round-of-16 match on Sunday. “We should’ve put some in the back of the net and we didn’t. We own that,” Alex Morgan said. “We’re not happy with the performance. But, we’re moving on.”

The Americans, the most successful team ever at the World Cup with four titles, have never been eliminated in the tournament’s group stage. But they looked shaky against the Portuguese, who were playing in their first World Cup.

“Obviously we want to play great and score a lot of goals, and we didn’t do that. We know that it can be better, and has to be better, moving forward,” said Megan Rapinoe, who came into the match in the second half as a substitute.

The Portuguese players sobbed on the field after the final whistle after having come oh-so-so close to upsetting the mighty US. Capeta’s shot about two minutes into stoppage time looked so good that her coaches started celebrating and the players on the bench jumped to their feet. ENGLAND 6-1 CHINA Chelsea star Lauren James scored twice as European champions England swept past shellshocked China 6-1 and into the last 16 on Tuesday to set up a clash with Nigeria. It equalled England’s biggest-ever World Cup victory and booked them top spot in Group D, while consigning the Asian cham – pions to their earliest ever exit.

DENMARK 2-0 HAITI

Denmark captain Pernille Harder converted a firsthalf penalty to register her maiden Women’s World Cup goal, setting up a 2-0 vic – tory over Haiti on Tuesday and a spot for her side in the last 16. The result ends a long drought for the Danes, who last advanced to the knockout stage in 1995.

NETHERLANDS 7-0

VIETNAM Netherlands scored four times in a torrid 15-minute first-half stretch, overwhelming Vietnam 7-0 and sealing first place in Group E.