Photos show the gut-wrenching moment Team USA was knocked out of the Women's World Cup by a matter of inches

• The US Women's National Soccer Team lost to Sweden during the Women's World Cup on Sunday. 
• It marks the US team's earliest exit from the international competition. 
• Sweden eliminated the US team in a penalty shootout after a scoreless draw. 

Sweden knocked the United States out of the 2023 Women's World Cup on Sunday, marking the US team's earliest exit from the international tournament. 

Team USA lost to Sweden 5-4 in a penalty shootout after a scoreless draw in regulation and extra time, according to The Associated Press. Per ESPN, the match was lost by inches after Sweden's Lina Hurtig secured the goal during her kick. The tense moment was captured Sunday in a tweet by @beInSPORTS_EN.

Team USA's goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher appeared to block the shot, but unfortunately, after the referees reviewed it, they found Naeher failed to stop the ball.

The loss came as the US team attempted to win a third consecutive World Cup win after championships in 2015 and 2019. Japan will now face Sweden in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Team captain Alex Morgan told the AP she was "devastated" by the loss.

"Just devastated. It feels like a bad dream," Morgan said. "The team put everything out there tonight, I feel like we dominated, but it doesn't matter. We're going home and it's the highs and lows of the sport of soccer. So, yeah, it doesn't feel great." 

The outlet reported that Megan Rapinoe, Kelly O'Hara, and Sophia Smith missed penalty kicks that could have clinched a victory. 

"We just lost the World Cup by a millimeter. That's tough," Naeher told the AP. "I am proud of the fight of the team. We knew we hadn't done our best in the group stage and we wanted a complete team performance and the team came out and played great." 

US defender Julie Ertz, who played in the 2015 and 2019 Women's World Cup, added that the loss was emotional because it's "probably" her "last game ever." It's Rapinoe's last World Cup game as well. In July, she announced her intent to retire from the National Women's Soccer League after the 2023 season. 

Sunday's stumble came after the US team struggled in the tournament's group stage, including almost getting knocked out by Portugal in their previous game. Other players — like Canada's Christine Sinclair — have suggested the US team's World Cup reign is coming to a close. 

"Obviously, they won the last World Cup, but they don't have the same level of fear that they used to have," Sinclair told Insider in November 2022.