Women’s World Cup: Rivals take aim for United States — Lloyd

Perfect record in group stage after win over Sweden

Last updated: June 21, 2019 | 21:02

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Megan Rapinoe (centre) celebrates, after United States teammate Tobin Heath scored her side’s second goal, during their match against Sweden.

Le Havre: Carli Lloyd says that everyone is gunning for the United States after they moved into the knockout stages of the Women’s World Cup as Group F winner with a 2-0 win over Sweden.

Jill Ellis’s side broke a 24-year-old record for the number of goals scored in the group stage when Jonna Andersson deflected Tobin Heath’s shot into her own net four minutes after the break, and the States go into the last 16 having scored a whopping 18 times without conceding once.

Those numbers make the reigning word champions the side to beat as they prepare for a last-16 clash with Spain in Reims on Monday, but there is room for improvement after a far-from-thrilling performance against a much-changed Swedish side.

“The target’s on the back, we’re expected to win and anything less than that is considered a failure in everyone’s eyes. I think it’s really all about just keeping the foot down on the pedal,” said Lloyd.

The Americans were good value for their win, which puts them in the harder side of the knockout stage draw alongside hosts and potential quarter-final opponents France, England, Norway, Brazil and dark horses Australia.

Earlier in Montpellier, Ajara Nchout sparked joy for Cameroon just seconds before the end when she curled her team into the next round as one of the best third-placed teams with a superb strike to beat New Zealand 2-1.