The four-times winners U.S. reached the knockout stages after holding off the debutants, as they spurned several chances to score at Auckland's Eden Park. With the minutes ticking away in the affair, striker Ana Capeta took a shot and 42,958 fans held their breath as they watched the ball ricochet off the post and leave a tearful Portugal team to wonder what could have been. "When Ana shoot I was thinking it will be (a) goal and what Vlatko will do and what I have to do to stop (him)," Portugal coach Neto told reporters. Portugal leave New Zealand with their heads held high after a credible first appearance at the tournament. Reporting by Amy Tennery in Auckland Editing by Christian RadnedgeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Persons: Portugal's Ines Pereira, Carole Costa, David Rowland AUCKLAND, Francisco Neto, Ana Capeta, Ana, Neto, Amy Tennery, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Soccer Football, FIFA, World, U.S, Thomson Locations: New Zealand, Portugal, United States, Eden, Auckland , New Zealand, Netherlands, Vietnam, Auckland