The two publicly out lesbian coaches in the women's soccer tournament of the Rio Olympics squared off in the quarterfinals on Friday with Sweden winning on penalty kicks. It's the first time the United States did not make it to the semifinals in Olympic history. The Americans were the defending gold medalists in the sport.
Sweden's Pia Sundhage and America's Jill Ellis not only are both openly gay, but they also have both coached the United States Women's National Team, with Sundhage managing the team from 2008 to 2012. It was Sundhage getting the best of her former team
It was a thrilling match, with Sweden taking a 1-0 lead on a breakaway in the 60th minute. It took about 15 minutes for the United States to equalize the score on a well-timed and some might say "lucky" bounce off the face of a Swedish player. In the first extra period, both teams scored from close range within a minute, but both were called offsides and the score negated.
Between the two teams there are also five publicly out athletes: Lisa Dahlkvist, Nilla Fisher, Hedvig Lindahl and Carolina Seger for Sweden; and Megan Rapinoe for the USWNT. In the end it was Dahlkvist who scored the match-winning penalty kick. Lindahl is Sweden's goalie.
