The coach for the United States Women’s football team, Vlatko Andonovski, has stepped down in the wake of the squad’s disappointing showing at the 2024 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The US’s early exit from the tournament — knocked out in the round of 16 by Sweden — came after the team took home the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. The showings, both under the leadership of Andonovski, were considered lacklustre given the team’s star-studded lineup and reputation as an international powerhouse.

In a statement on Thursday, Andonovski called coaching the team the “honor of my life”.

“I’m very optimistic for the future of this program, especially considering all the young players that got opportunities over the past few years who will no doubt be leaders and impact players moving forward,” he said.

“While we are all disappointed by the outcome at this year’s World Cup, I am immensely proud of the progress this team has made.”

Twila Kilgore, who served as an assistant under Andonovski, will serve as interim head coach until a replacement is found.

The US’s departure in the round of 16 — a nail-biting loss that came down to a final penalty-kick shootout — represented the earliest exit the women’s team has ever made in a World Cup.

The team had become a cultural icon in the US, particularly after its successful push for equal pay with its male counterpart. It had won the last two World Cups, in 2015 and 2019, and had hoped to cement an era of dominance with a third victory.

But the US’s group stage matches in the 2023 tournament largely underwhelmed, with the team beating Vietnam 3-0 before drawing against Portugal and the Netherlands.

The performance prompted a blunt rebuke from retired-player-turned-commentator Carli Lloyd, whose hat trick in the 2015 World Cup final led the team to victory.

Source Al Jazeera

BDST: 1101 HRS, AUGUST 18, 2023
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