Alex Morgan denied by VAR as USWNT draws with Australia in final Olympic group game

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:05 am

United States women's national team forward Alex Morgan had a goal disallowed by VAR as Vlatko Andonovski's side drew 0-0 with Australia in its final game of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics group stage. 

The result means that the USWNT qualifies in second position and will play the Netherlands while Australia qualify as the best third-place team and meet Team Great Britain. 

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"It was a great test for us today to see that the players can execute the game plan very, very well," Andonovski said in a news conference after the match.

"So whatever we feel like we need to do to win the [next] game, we're going to present it to them and then let them do their job." 

The USWNT continued its average form in this tournament with the Matildas dominating possession early on. In the opening 15 minutes, Tony Gustavsson's side had 62% possession. 

"The one thing that surprised me a little bit was that they were a bit passive in their pressing, and I'm used to seeing them very, very aggressive," Gustavsson, who used to work as an assistant coach with the USWNT, said in a news conference.

Mary Fowler, a late substitute in the starting lineup for Caitlin Foord and making her Olympic debut, had an excellent opportunity to put Australia ahead on 20 minutes, but her header ricocheted off the crossbar. 

Alex Morgan and Sam Kerr battle for the ball.
Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images

Gustavsson confirmed after the match that Foord felt something in her leg, and she was rested as a precaution. 

It appeared that Morgan had put the USWNT ahead on 33 minutes when she headed Kelley O'Hara's corner into the net, but a VAR review showed that her elbow was just offside, and the goal was disallowed. 

Australia's dominance in possession continued in the second half, but the Matildas were unable to make it count. 

Christen Press had a perfect opportunity on 56 minutes to put the USWNT ahead after a through ball put her behind Ellie Carpenter, but a heavy touch saw the ball get away from her. 

In a low-key game with few chances, neither side could find a breakthrough in the closing stages, with a stalemate being a fair result between two sides far from their best.