Sore losers! USA goalie Hope Solo rants 'we lost to a bunch of cowards' after women's soccer team is knocked OUT of Olympics by Sweden in penalty kicks and loses 4-3 

Controversial U.S soccer star Hope Solo has lashed out at the Swedish women's team after they knocked the Americans out of the Olympics.

The three-time defending Olympic gold medal winners and 2015 World Cup champions will miss the Olympic final for the first time after the shock 4-3 loss to Sweden on penalties. The match was tied 1-1 after extra time, forcing the shoot-out.

After the defeat, Solo - the team's goalkeeper, said: 'we lost to a bunch of cowards. The better team did not win.'

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Controversial U.S soccer star Hope Solo has lashed out at the Swedish women's team after they knocked the Americans out of the Olympics

After the defeat, Solo - the team's goalkeeper, said: 'we lost to a bunch of cowards. The better team did not win'

'I strongly believe that. I think you saw American heart. You saw us give everything we had today,' she told Sports Illustrated.

'I thought that we played a courageous game... Sweden dropped off. They didn't want to open play. They didn't want to pass the ball. They didn't want to play great soccer.

'I don't think they're going to make it far in the tournament. I think it was very cowardly. But they won. They're moving on, and we're going home.'

After making the comments, Solo has since tweeted: 'Losing sucks. I'm really bad at it.' 

Tied after three rounds in the shootout, Swedish captain Caroline Seger beat Hope Solo and American Christen Press skied her shot and sent it flying over the net. 

With the next kick, Sweden's Lisa Dahlkvist calmly slotted the ball past Solo to secure the win. Before the final shot, Solo tried to put Dahlkvist off by changing her gloves - a delaying tactic that meant the Swede had to wait longer to take her kick.

As Sweden celebrated, U.S. captain Carli Lloyd crouched on the field at Mane Garrincha Stadium. It was the first time that an Olympic women's match had gone to penalties.

It was the earliest the United States had ever been eliminated from the Olympics since women's soccer became a sport in 1996.

After a scoreless first half, Sweden got the all-important opening goal through Stina Blackstenius in the 61st minute.

United States' Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd react as Sweden's players celebrate after a penalty shoot-out victory

Stina Blackstenius (left) of Sweden and Magdalena Ericsson (middle) celebrate after their upset win against the U.S.

The U.S. was able to pull level through Alex Morgan in the 78th, and the match remained deadlocked through the 90 minutes - forcing extra time.

Lloyd thought she had scored the go-ahead goal in the 115th minute, only to have the strike incorrectly called back for offside.

The reigning World Cup champions, who are also four-time Olympic champions, had not dropped a match this year before being bounced out by Sweden.

The European nation will go on to face either Australia or Brazil in the semifinals.

Star American striker Carli Lloyd slumps to the ground after the U.S. women's team was shockingly beaten by Sweden

Stina Blackstenius (SWE) of Sweden (not pictured) scores a goal past goalie Hope Solo. The USA lost and was knocked out

Shocked American fans were quick to react to the massive upset on social media.

'I feel sick. Heartbroken for my team,' Lauren Holiday, who retired from the team after last year's World Cup, said. 

'Sat in my shower and cried real tears after watching the women's soccer team lose to Sweden,' Savannah Sabistina tweeted. 

'Olympics cancelled,' another fan added.

An exhausted and emotional Carli Lloyd dropped to her knees on the field after the U.S. were knocked out by Sweden

Swedish players crowd around goalie Hedvig Lindahl after their remarkable win the the women's quarterfinal against the U.S.

But some were more positive, saying that the loss will fuel the U.S. team on for the 2020 Games.

'4 years from now I can't wait to witness the revenge and dominance,' Caleb McCoy tweeted.

'I feel so sad. 4 years to come back with a vengeance tho!' Ashley Along wrote. 

Other fans slammed Solo for her comments after the game, with many accusing her of being a bad sport.

Carli Lloyd reacts after shooting against Sweden in the second half during the Women's Football Quarterfinal match at Mane Garrincha Stadium

Swedish players sprint on the field to celebrate as a team after beating the U.S. in a penalty shoot-out

'If Hope Solo was not American we would ram the criticism down her neck. It's not acceptable,' ESPN anchor Max Bretos tweeted.

'Hope Solo not dealing with a loss well? seems impossible,' writer Hanif Abdurraqib said.

'Just read hope solo's comments. I understand being upset you lost and are out, but how about showing some class?' another fan tweeted. 

The U.S. team stands and watches anxiously during the penalty shoot-out against Sweden in the quarterfinals 

Former American player Lauren Holiday, who retired after last year's World Cup, said she was heartbroken after the loss

Other fans were quick to react to the crushing defeat on social media. But some were more positive, suggesting the loss will fuel the U.S. side on for the 2020 Games

Vann R. Newkirk II summed up the sentiments of some American fans, writing: 'glad I don't have to root for Hope Solo in the Olympics anymore.' 

Rubbing salt into the wounds was the fact Sweden's coach, Pia Sundhage, previously coached the U.S. team for five years and was manager for gold medal winning campaigns in Beijing and London.

The Americans won their first two matches in Brazil before a surprising 2-2 draw in Manaus against Colombia, which had already been eliminated.

American fans were quick to criticize Hope Solo for her comments about the Swedish team after the game

Fans attacked Solo's comments, with some saying they are 'not acceptable', while others said they were glad they did not have to cheer for her anymore

Sweden had only ever won five matches against the United States. The two teams played to a scoreless draw at last year's World Cup. The last time the two teams met in the Olympics was at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Sundhage was a player on the Sweden team that fell 2-1 to the Americans.

Ranked sixth in the world, Sweden had struggled in its Olympic group with a 5-1 loss to host Brazil and finished 1-1-1. 

The crowd at Mane Garrincha Stadium in was sparse at the start of the match and never extended much past the lower bowl of the massive 72,000-seat stadium that was reconstructed and expanded for the men's 2014 World Cup.

The fans that were there continued to jeer Solo with shouts of 'Zika!' everytime she touched the ball. The fans have taunted her since the opening match in Brazil because of her posts on social media about the virus.

Sweden's team celebrates their 1-1 (4-3 PSO) win over team United States during the Women's Football Quarterfinal match

The Swedish players celebrate their victory over the U.S. with a huddle on the field after winning the penalty shoot-out

Solo mulled not attending the games over concerns about the virus, and has since tweeted multiple images of her large collection of mosquito repellent and of herself decked out in protective netting.

She has also faced criticism in recent years for a domestic violence claim made against her by a member of her family.

Solo was charged with two misdemeanor counts of assault in the fourth-degree against her half-sister, Teresa Obert, and her 17-year-old son, on June 21, 2014 in Kirkland, Washington.

Explosive details regarding Solo's behavior that night, in police records obtained by ESPN, revealed the goalkeeper swore at officers and threatened to fight one.

'You're such a b****', Cpl. Robert Russell said Solo then yelled to one of the officers. 'You're scared of me because you know that if the handcuffs were off, I'd kick your ass.' 

United States' Crystal Dunn dribbles past Sweden's Caroline Seger during a quarter-final match

Sweden's Lisa Dahlkvist celebrates after scoring in the penalty kicks in her country's incredible win against the U.S.

Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl dives to her right to stop a penalty kick in the shoot-out against the U.S.

Sweden players celebrate after Stina Blackstenius (left) scored her team's first goal in the quarterfinal clash with the U.S.