It comes as a shock that the United States, one of the tournament’s favourites, struggled to go past the group round in second place after starting the play so strongly.
Netherlands earned a compelling 7-0 win over Vietnam in the other fixture placing them top of Group E, with Portugal heading home in third and Vietnam exiting without any points acquired.
After a 2-0 victory over Vietnam last week, Portugal’s head coach Francisco Neto made five changes and opted for a diamond formation for his tournament debutants.
Meanwhile, Vlatko Andonovski was determined not to lose the 19-game unbeaten World Cup streak his USA squad owned heading into the match, and it was an all-out attack from the beginning.
Alex Morgan, the team’s captain, came close twice in the first five minutes, but both attempts were blocked. The first was a header, and the second was a flick that was deflected just wide.
The United States found themselves under pressure, but Portugal kept their cool and quickly took over the attacking threat.
Jessica Silva nearly scored on a low shot, but she was a hair too eager and slid it wide of the post.
Lynn Williams then reclaimed possession in the centre for the United States of America by catching a pass from Morgan coming in from the left side. Ines Pereira made a superb save to deny Williams’ shot, but the ball deflected back to the US defender who then hoisted it over the bar from five yards.
After midfielder Rose Lavelle was booked for a late sliding challenge on Dolores Silva, the frustrations of Andonovski’s side were starting to boil over.
Two efforts on goal were all the current World Cup holders could muster in the first half, while the Netherlands dominated the first 45 minutes in Dunedin, scoring five times and leading by a comfortable margin against Vietnam at the break.
A goal by Portugal in the second half would have eliminated the United States from the competition, but despite the stakes, the Americans seemed to lose their momentum.
Again, Morgan almost scored when she dribbled past Pereira in goal, but her low shot from an acute angle was stopped and Sophia Smith’s follow-up attempt went high over the crossbar.
Andonovski threw in some fresh legs on the hour-mark in an effort to make the game run a little more freely, including the addition of seasoned Megan Rapinoe in her penultimate event before retirement.
But Portugal was the more threatening team, as the United States’ best scoring opportunities were either easily stopped by Pereira or missed entirely.
USA were plainly clinging on for dear life and all almost changed in an instant during the eight minutes of additional time, when Portugal came dangerously close to snatching a goal.
Ana Capeta, who had only just been substituted onto the pitch, gathered a long cross before knocking it into space and hitting it low towards the boundary of the area.
The ball beat Alyssa Naeher in goal and slammed off the post in what was a dramatic finale to the contest. Neither team could do much more to break the scoreless tie.
Unless something unexpected happens, the United States will play Sweden in the second round, and they will face either Japan or Norway in the quarterfinals.
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