AUCKLAND, New Zealand — The fire alarms began screeching midway through the near nightmare, as the U.S. women’s national team crept dangerously close to collapse. They screeched, literally, soon after halftime here at Eden Park, while an ominous voice instructed fans to evacuate the stadium. They were false alarms, thankfully, but the irony and symbolism were unmistakable.
Because down below, on the field, and all around the USWNT, panic sirens were blaring.
Players could surely hear them later as they trudged around the field in an unemotional daze, seconds after a 0-0 draw with Portugal.