Lindsey Horan talks up US joy and dismisses Lloyd’s criticisms as ‘noise’

• Americans face old foes Sweden for place in quarter-finals
• World Cup campaign so far has been disappointing

Joy" was the operative word around the United States women's national team on Thursday as players and staff prepared to leave their Auckland base camp and fly to Australia for the round of 16 match against their old foes Sweden in Melbourne.

USA captain Lindsey Horan and forward Lynn Williams spoke for the first time since Tuesday's 0-0 draw with Portugal. Each player reflected on the differing emotions provoked by the result: they know they played poorly, but they also advanced to the knockout stage.