Sports
US eliminated from Women’s World Cup
Team USA loses in penalty kick shootout
Sweden’s superior goalkeeper, three missed penalty shots by Team USA and technology called the “Video Assistant Referee” combined to eliminate the Americans from the FIFA Women’s World Cup Sunday.
Sweden defeated the world’s top-ranked team, 5-4, on penalties after a scoreless draw in the round of 16, the first round of the knockout stage. The stunning result of their best performance so far in this tournament shocked the U.S. women, who had never finished worse than third at any previous World Cup.
“This is like a sick joke,” said Megan Rapinoe, 38, as she reflected on what she’s said will be her final World Cup game. “For me personally, this dark comedy. I missed a penalty.”
When Rapinoe’s critical shot went over the crossbar, her immediate reaction was to hang her head and laugh at herself, before rejoining her teammates in tears.
Rapinoe misses the fourth!
🇺🇸:✅✅✅❌
🇸🇪:✅✅❌ pic.twitter.com/RVbhQoclla— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 6, 2023
Then Sophia Smith went way wide, and Kelley O’Hara’s shot hit the post.
The deciding goal by Lina Hurtig was so close, the referees had to turn to technology to determine if it was good.
Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who scored a penalty against Sweden’s goalkeeper Zecira Musovic of Chelsea for Team USA in the shootout, thought she had saved the game and extended it to an extra penalty kick period when she swatted Hurtig’s shot up and away from the net. But VAR showed the ball had fallen back down, just barely over the goal line, and all the way over, as is required by the rules.
Alyssa Naeher nearly kept it out 🧤 pic.twitter.com/DjpatlgCKD
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 6, 2023
“We just lost the World Cup by a millimeter,” said Naeher. “That’s tough… We had great chances, hats off to the Swedish goalkeeper for a number of great saves on her end to keep it at 0-0. I’m proud of the battle, proud of the group. We showed that American mentality again that’s been standard for this team. To come up short hurts, it’s going to hurt for a long time.”
As Naeher said, the match was scoreless through 90 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of extra time, and Team USA came close so many times, especially when Alex Morgan, their leading goal scorer, was in control. But Musovic stood in her way as well as against Trinity Rodman and Lindsey Horan.
“I’m devastated, it feels like a bad dream,” said Morgan. “I feel like we dominated tonight but it doesn’t matter… we are going home, it’s the highs and lows of the sport of soccer.”
“I thought we played really well,” Rapinoe said. “I’m so happy for us that we went out like that, playing the way that we did, and having a ton of joy on the ball.”
But their biggest joy went unfulfilled. Rapinoe had gone into the tournament hoping to win her second World Cup, a third consecutive title for her team.
Sunday’s match was historic on multiple levels. No other team has dominated the World Cup like the U.S Women’s National Team. The Americans boast four titles in their trophy cabinet, the most by any women’s soccer team. And up until this game, in every World Cup appearance, the USWNT has managed to at least secure a spot in the semifinals. Their loss marks the earliest exit by the USWNT at any major tournament, having reached the semifinals at all but one World Cup and Olympics. In an eerie coincidence, it was at the 2016 Olympics in Rio that the USWNT lost on penalties to Sweden.
This was also the first 2023 World Cup game to go to extra time. Until Sunday, no 2023 World Cup game had gone to penalty kicks. And it took a seventh round of penalties to determine the winner.
So now the Americans head home and to their respective clubs, while Sweden advances to play Japan in a quarterfinal Friday in Auckland, New Zealand.
“This is the balance to the beautiful side of the game,” said Rapinoe after the match. “I think it can be cruel and, not our day, but I still feel really grateful and joyful and…” The out lesbian icon’s voice cracked as she paused to sum up her feelings to a Fox Sports reporter.
“I know it’s the end, and that’s sad, to know this is the only time I’ve been in one of these, this early, says so much about how much success I’ve been able to have, and just how much I’ve loved playing for this team and playing for this country. It’s been an honor.”
Rapinoe then wiped away tears, calling their victory to win equal pay, “changing the world forever” — as well as the teammates she’s played alongside — that is what has meant the most to her.
The USWNT thanked fans on social media and First Lady Jill Biden shared a message of thanks to Team USA.
— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) August 6, 2023
.@USWNT, you made this sport matter.
Today, you inspired us with your grit and determination. We are proud of you. Always remember that you encourage women and girls everywhere to show up and fight for their dreams. 💕 https://t.co/1vIkTaZ45n
— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) August 6, 2023
The Baltimore Orioles will take on the Washington Nationals on Friday, June 26 at 7 p.m. for Pride Night at Oriole Park.
The first 15,000 fans will receive an exclusive Pride Night Orioles jersey. The Washington Blade is a media sponsor of this event.
To purchase tickets, visit Orioles.com/Tickets.
Sports
Minor league team in York, Pa., forfeits Pride Night game after some players refuse to wear special jersey
City is roughly 20 miles north of Md. border
An independent minor league baseball team says it is forfeiting a game because some of its players refused to wear a special Pride Night jersey.
The Atlantic League Pro Baseball’s York Revolution were planning to hold their 11th annual Pride Night event Thursday for a game against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.
But the Revolution announced the day of the game that it wouldn’t be played. York is about 20 miles north of the Maryland line. The Blue Crabs play in Waldorf.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
Sports
Jason Collins dies at 47
First openly gay man to actively play for major sports team battled brain cancer
Jason Collins, the first openly gay man to actively play for a major professional sports team, died on Tuesday after a battle with brain cancer. He was 47.
The California native had briefly played for the Washington Wizards in 2013 before coming out in a Sports Illustrated op-ed.
Collins in 2014 became the first openly gay man to play in a game for a major American professional sports league when he played 11 minutes during a Brooklyn Nets game. He wore jersey number 98 in honor of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student murdered outside of Laramie, Wyo., in 1998.
Collins told the Washington Blade in 2014 that his life was “exponentially better” since he came out. Collins the same year retired from the National Basketball Association after 13 seasons.
Collins married his husband, Brunson Green, in May 2025.
The NBA last September announced Collins had begun treatment for a brain tumor. Collins on Dec. 11, 2025, announced he had Stage 4 glioblastoma.
“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” said Collins’s family in a statement the NBA released. “Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Collins’s “impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA, and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations.”
“He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador,” said Silver. “Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.”
“To call Jason Collins a groundbreaking figure for our community is simply inadequate. We truly lost a giant today,” added Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson in a statement. “He came out as gay — while still playing — at a time when men’s athletes simply did not do that. But as he powerfully demonstrated in his final years in the league and his post-NBA career, stepping forward as he did boldly changed the conversation.”
“He was and will always be a legend for the LGBTQ+ community, and we are heartbroken to hear of his passing at the young age of 47,” she said. “Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones. We will keep fighting on in his honor until the day everyone can be who they are on their terms.”
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