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LE HAVRE, France — Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl does not fear the United States women’s soccer team. After all, she was in goal when her team knocked the Americans out of the 2016 Olympics in the quarterfinal round. It was their earliest exit ever at a major tournament, and the defeat still resonates with, and motivates, the United States team.
So Lindahl smiled knowingly when asked whether the Americans would try to make a statement on Thursday in the World Cup, when the teams meet in one of the final games in group play.