The NBA, like most competitive leagues, relies heavily on its officiating. For referees, this is a mixed bag. Their calls can often change the outcome of a game. This opens up the officials to all kinds of criticism. And of course, this happens in sports at every level. Recently, a controversial call that eliminated the US Women’s Soccer Team has been making the round. Shaquille O’Neal, who was fined $35,000 for criticizing a referee in 2010, shared the moment with his followers.

The former player recently took to Instagram to share a reel, right after the US Women’s Team suffered a major loss.

US Women’s Soccer Team eliminated from World Cup

The FIFA Women’s World Cup began a few weeks ago. The tournament was a special one as it marked the debut of Dennis Rodman’s daughter Trinity. Despite the Worm not being present, the 21-year-old did not waver and established herself as a prominent player on the team.  The US Women’s Team kicked off the season with a good start. They beat Vietnam by 3 goals and were able to progress to the next stages despite tying with the Netherlands and Portugal.

The team recently faced off against Sweden. The match was a crucial one, as it decided who will secure their position in the Quarter Finals and come one step closer to winning it all. During the match, Trinity Rodman was able to get through the defense and make some dazzling shots in the 18 and 27 minutes.

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She was, however, substituted by the coach in the 66 minute as the score stayed 0-0. Since both teams were unable to convert, the match was set to be decided via a penalty round.

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After the US secured a lead of 3-2, 38-year-old soccer legend Megan Rapinoe took her position in order to shoot a penalty. Unfortunately, she missed it. This was the first domino that lead to the eventual downfall.

After a shot that would be marked as controversial in the coming days, Sweden was able to secure their victory with a score of 5-4.

Shaquille O’Neal highlights Sweden’s victory via social media

The final penalty shot by Sweden saw US goalkeeper Alyssa Naehar saving the ball from making it to the goalpost. After an appeal, however, the referee referred to the ‘video assistant referee’ (VAR).  Notably, the replay showed that the ball had crossed the line by a few millimeters and the referee awarded the goal to Sweden.

The clip caught the attention of Shaquille O’Neal, who put it on his story for his 31.1 million followers.

Many might interpret Shaq’s story as a snub towards his national team that were unable to bring the prestigious trophy home. On the other hand, some can credit the Los Angeles Lakers legend for his sportsmanship. After all, he is just giving credit where it is due.

Fans of the US Women’s team, however, will not recover from the loss anytime soon. The eyes and hopes of many people lay with the team, including that of Kobe Bryant’s family. How did you feel about the last-minute outcome?

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