Sweden, advancing with three shutout victories and outscoring opponents 18–0, a group stage record in the Women's World Cup. In the round of 16, the U.S. played Group B runners-up Spain, who conceded an early penalty in the seventh minute that was converted by captain Megan Rapinoe. Spanish forward Jennifer Hermoso found an equaliser within three minutes after capitalising on a defensive error near the top of the box, shooting from distance to beat goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and end her shutout streak. The U.S. were awarded a second penalty kick after a foul in the box on Rose Lavelle and won the match 2–1 on another conversion by Rapinoe in the 75th minute per instruction from Ellis, after Morgan initially looked set to take the kick. The Americans were then matched against hosts France, winners of Group A and a tournament favourite, in the quarter-finals. This was the first time the U.S. had faced the tournament hosts of the Women's World Cup. Rapinoe opened the scoring in the fifth minute, with a free kick that was driven low and through several players, and added a second in the 65th minute by finishing a cut-back cross from Tobin Heath in the box. French defender Wendie Renard scored a consolation goal in the 81st minute on a headed corner kick, but the U.S. held on to win 2–1 and eliminate the hosts. The U.S. played England in the semi-finals, but were without Rapinoe due to a hamstring injury that kept her out of the starting line-up. Her replacement, Christen Press, scored the opening goal in the tenth minute on a header in the box; English forward Ellen White then volleyed a shot from inside the box in the 19th minute to earn her team an equaliser. Alex Morgan restored the U.S. lead in the 31st minute, the first player in Women's World Cup history to score on her birthday, finishing a cross by Lindsey Horan with a header that she celebrated with a controversial tea-sipping gesture. White scored an apparent second equaliser in the 67th minute, but was ruled offside by a video assistant referee (VAR) decision. A VAR decision in the 82nd minute determined that White was fouled in the penalty area by defender Becky Sauerbrunn and awarded a penalty to England. The resulting penalty was struck by captain Steph Houghton and saved by Alyssa Naeher, the first penalty save by