Caroline Seger reacts after missing penalty kick against Canada at Tokyo 2020.
Caroline Seger.
AP Photo/Fernando Vergara
  • Canada defeated Sweden to win their first gold medal in women's soccer at the Olympics on Friday.
  • Canada outlasted Sweden in a dramatic penalty shootout in order to win.
  • Caroline Seger had a shot to win gold in the shootout but sent her attempt over the crossbar.
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Sweden lost to Canada in a penalty shootout in the gold medal match of Tokyo 2020 women's soccer.

Through four kicks for each side, Sweden led Canada 2-1 in the shootout, with team captain Caroline Seger stepping up to the spot to take Sweden's fifth and hopefully final kick.

With a make, Sweden would be champions.

Unfortunately, Seger sent her attempt sailing far above the crossbar.

Caroline Seger sends penalty kick over crossbar at Tokyo 2020.
Caroline Seger.
USA

It was a crushing miss for both Sweden, and Seger.

Seger, 36, is the captain of the Swedish side and could be playing in her last international tournament.

She's the most capped women's player in the history of European soccer, with 220 appearances for Sweden in her career, having played in four Olympics and four women's world cups for her country.

Sweden has never won either tournament but had come close on a few occasions.

They were never closer than the moment that Seger stepped up to the penalty spot. But instead of securing gold for her country for the first time, Seger sailed the ball over the crossbar.

She couldn't believe it.

Caroline Seger reacts after missing penalty kick at Tokyo 2020.
Caroline Seger.
USA

After Seger's miss, Canada's Deanne Rose converted her kick to tie the shootout, sending the contest into do-or-die extra kicks.

Sweden missed their first extra kick, and Canada's Julia Grosso snuck the ball past Swedish keeper Hedvig Lindahl to win gold.

Sweden is one of the strongest sides in international women's soccer, and a big win is likely coming soon for them. But in a sport with only one major tournament every two years, taking advantage of opportunities is a big deal.

With the USWNT knocked out, the Olympic final looked like it was there for Sweden's taking. Even when Seger stepped to the spot, it looked as though the storybook had finally been written.

It wasn't meant to be.

Read the original article on Insider