ble to compete and not embarrass ourselves at this level. And as a group weve spoken about it and decided were not

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Alex Morgan isnt sugarcoating it. The visibly somber soccer star is still overwhelmed by the teams loss to Sweden in the Rio Games quarterfinals last week, officially ending the U.S. womens soccer teams quest for a fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal.We caught up with the 27-year-old at the P&G Family Home in Rio, where shes hanging with her family, supporting Team USA at other events and talking about her partnership with the Always #LikeAGirl campaign. She opened up about the loss and discussed whats next for her and the national team.espnW: The U.S. team played its games in Brasilia and other cities, and now youre finally in Rio de Janeiro. What has your experience in Rio been like so far?Coming to Rio, I feel like I was still heartbroken over our loss because we actually didnt make it to Rio. We ended in Brasilia. Had we won, we would have come to Rio. For me, deciding to come to Rio with my family -- as most of my teammates went home -- was very uplifting. I feel like I was able to support Team USA and I was able to experience the culture of Rio and Brazil in general. Its been really nice and a good distraction from everything else thats going on and the loss we had a couple of days ago.How have you and the team been handling the loss?For a day or two it was really, really difficult and bitter. And I think it will be bitter for a long time. But it was a humbling experience because this team has such high expectations for winning and doing well historically in tournaments, [since we were] consecutive, three-time Olympic gold medalists. I think it was very devastating and heartbreaking at first. I think we will come back even stronger, but it will take time.Whats the biggest hurdle for the national team going forward? Its not like we played a bad game. For us, its more about getting over the heartbreak. I dont think theres a huge hurdle to get over. But I think its going to take time and luckily theres three years between now and the next major tournament, so time is all we have right now.What did you say to Christen Press after the penalty kicks against Sweden? [Both Morgan and Press missed their penalty kicks.]It was devastating for the whole team, but for us in particular. We took it really hard. In the locker room, when we were all trying to be very supportive of each other, I just said, It happens to the best of us. And I think for us that gave us a quick smile or giggle for a second. It honestly could have happened to anyone.I feel like the effort was there when we played against Sweden. The passion and the heart was there. We were just extremely unlucky that day, especially in the penalties. But well bounce back from it. Its something so small in perspective given the career were both going to have with the national team.What was it like playing against former U.S. coach Pia Sundhage, who is now Swedens head coach? Did that make it extra nerve-wracking?No, weve played quite a bit against Pia, but I think we wanted to win even more because it was against her. At the same time, I do respect her at such a high level. She gave me my first Games with the national team. I respect her so much and she knows the game really well. So its not surprising that [Sweden is] in the final.Speaking of youngsters, how did Crystal Dunn and Mallory Pugh perform at the Olympics?They performed great. They both scored and did extremely well in their first major tournaments. With Mal being 18 years old, I can see the pressure getting to someone so young, but I feel like she took it in stride and performed exceptionally well. Im really proud of both of them.How did the U.S. midfield perform at the Olympics?Going into the Olympics, there were a lot of changes in the midfield because of Allie Long coming onto the team late in April. I feel like the midfield performed really well for having only a month or two to learn how to play together. Being knocked out in the quarterfinals isnt a good reflection of the way we played. Thats just the way it goes sometimes.Do you expect Amy Rodriguez and Sydney Leroux to join the team next year? I hope so because they are amazing soccer players. They were my teammates for many years. Theyre two close friends who I would love to see back on the national team. With Amy just having her baby and Sydney having her baby within the next month, the most important thing is getting back healthy. As long as they can do it healthy, I would love to see them back as my teammates.You and Sydney always dress up for Halloween. Any plans for this October? Im sure shell have some good ideas. Well see. Ask me in like two months.What do you think of Sweden advancing to the gold-medal game? Its hard for us to swallow because we want to be there, but at the end of the day, I just hope its a good match for the fans.Who are you picking: Sweden or Germany? I dont know. Im not really rooting for one over the other.Whats next for the team? Now, its just rebuilding and continuing to get back on course. We have two friendlies in September. That will be about getting the team back together, thinking positively and getting back on the right track.Mets Jerseys 2020 Richie Ashburn Jersey . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. https://www.cheapmetsjerseys.us/640l-fernando-tatis-jersey-mets.html .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. Ed Lynch Jersey . MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez also will attend the session, which was announced Monday. The league has discussed placing its next two expansion teams in Miami and Atlanta. Corey Oswalt Jersey . Duchene scored two goals and had an assist, helping the Colorado Avalanche beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Friday night to match the best 10-game start in team history.October in Zimbabwe is pregnant with expectation. After the long, dry months of winter, the heat is back, without the rain - so, each afternoon, eyes are drawn to the gathering clouds in anticipation that that might be the day the heavens finally open. Until the rains come, the air remains heavy with the accumulated haze of winters fires, the giant trees look tired from thirst and the heat becomes oppressive. By evening, the clouds have dissipated, taking hope with them. Maybe tomorrow.Zimbabwe cricket has built a similar feeling of anticipation on a handful of occasions since 2009, when it first began to stir from the tumult of the post-rebel period. But, each time, like an October afternoon, hope turned to more disappointment.It is probably better to whisper it, then, but as Zimbabwe prepare to play their 100th Test on Saturday, expectation is in the air once more. There have been times in the past few years when every Test, no matter how painful the result, felt worth savouring for the simple fact that they came along so rarely. What, one might wonder, are the odds of Zimbabwe playing another 100 at the current rate, in the current environment?Those odds will always be determined by happenings beyond the boundary, which too freely dictate the rise and (mostly) fall of Zimbabwes on-field fortunes. Yet, at least now, there are positive movements that could bring improvement to those playing the game.Heath Streak has come in as head coach, adding stability after a chaotic few months in which the inexperienced Makhaya Ntini was thrown in at the deep end, probably unfairly. More significantly, having now had several months to get his teeth into his new administrative roles, Tatenda Taibu feels that the wheels are starting to turn. Breaking away from an umpires meeting delivered by former Zimbabwe international and ICC match referee Andy Pycroft on Thursday morning, Taibu confirmed that the domestic season is due to start on November 22 and should run through to August. Significantly, as many as 40 contracts are expected to be offered, ranging from one to three years. This is a major improvement on the paltry six-month contracts that domestic cricketers have previously been offered for a pitifully short first-class season.Equally important has been the increasing number of fixtures enjoyed by the Zimbabwe A team, who have hosted South Africa A and Pakistan A in recent months. Those tours, along with a visit by a Sri Lankan Development Emerging side in July, have begun to unearth new talent that Streak has promised to make use of. Finally, challengers are emerging to the old faces in the Zimbabwe side, who have maintained their places because of a lack of alternatives. Fast bowler Carl Mumba and top-order batsman Tarisai Musakanda could make their international debuts in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka after impressing for Zimbabwe A. When I took on the job, I said that I wanted to push some of the youngsters, but I also said that I wanted to create a platform for young guys to showcase themselves, said Streak. Before, when you didnt make the national side there was nothing below that, other than domestic cricket, or there were gaps of no cricket, which made it difficult for guys to get back in the side or showcase their ability. So thats definittely something Im going to create, and Im also looking at succession planning, and where we see gaps and where we see youngsters, that will be able to fill them.ddddddddddddThat will reflect in contracts, in selections and in age-group teams - working out what we need to keep supporting the national team.However, as is always the case for Zimbabwe, a lack of continuity in Tests means that they must show improvement now. Their next Test assignment, as things stand, is a tour of Sri Lanka next June, meaning their 100th and 101st Tests could be their last chance to make an impression for eight months. The Sri Lanka team that has traveled to Zimbabwe is young and raw, but by June they could resemble a wisened old group of pros by Zimbabwe standards - especially if they achieve their objectives on this tour.Its quite an exciting time for us, because it is very much a rebuilding time, but because of injuries were forced to accelerate that process and play some young guys, coach Graham Ford said. Some of the young chaps that will play have been in and around the Test squad for the last while but havent got much game time. This is a chance for them to show what they can do and for us to assess them further, and hopefully theyll take that opportunity.We do have a really tough series coming up in South Africa over the Christmas period, so its important that we keep trying to make progress. When we played England in England we got beaten but the key was to make progress and I think we did improve along the way. We certainly improved against Australia, and were going to need to keep improving if were going to compete against South Africa in South Africa.Such a schedule is the envy of Zimbabwes cricketers, who have played just six Tests in three years - as many as Sri Lanka have played this year alone. Streak feels that if they are to make immediate improvement, a new culture is required. Obviously its still very early in my tenure, but what I hope people will be able to see [in this series] is a change in mindset, Streak said. I want to encourage the guys not to be scared of losing and not to like losing. In the past we had this mindset where were just happy to be able to compete and not embarrass ourselves at this level. And as a group weve spoken about it and decided were not happy to do that any more. Weve got to take things forward.Of course, as has been the case for so long in Zimbabwe, events away from the field will determine how long progress on it may last. With Zimbabwe Cricket carrying $19m debt and no fresh income streams on the horizon, it is difficult to see how they can afford a bigger and better domestic system, more contracts, a proposed new academy and more tours for the A team. ZCs finances have been in such disarray that, nearly 10 months after the end of their financial year, they are still to have an audit signed off - a situation that has put them at odds with the ICCs new requirements.In theory, there is much to be positive about. But until the issues of finance and administration are taken care of, the game in Zimbabwe will continue to feel like another hot afternoon in Harare, when the rain just wont come. ' ' '