This morning, the United States crashed out of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, losing in penalty kicks to Nigeria after a 1-1 draw.

The quarterfinal loss was the worst performance from the U.S. at this level, and the way the Americans played this match showed a lack of the qualities that made the senior women’s national team a global icon in the sport.

The U.S. was far too content to sit on an early 1-0 lead, and the defending champions’ attack was far too predictable. Long passes out of the back were errant or cut out by the Super Falcon defense. When the Americans managed to get off a cross, the resulting headers were often mishit and flew wide of the mark.

The American attack also failed to make the most of it’s chances. One break deep in overtime led to an open chance in the box, but the resulting shot was right at the goalkeeper.

The U.S. defense, aside from being able to match Nigeria for pace, was beaten on the dribble far too many times. The tactics on Nigeria’s free-kick goal was nothing less than scandalous.

And, frankly, so was the goalkeeping — a trait which carried over to the penalty-kick shootout. Nigeria’s first attempt was an awful kick that went almost down the center, but the U.S. goalie flat-out missed it. She was also flagged twice for infringement on Nigeria’s third kick.

But perhaps the most shocking performance was Sydney Le Roux’s kick in the last round, which she skied over the crossbar like Roberto Baggio in 1994. Seconds before the howler, the FIFA world feed caught a look in her eye which indicated that she would rather have been somewhere else.

Le Roux came into the tournament a likely top overall selection in the first WPS draft for which she is eligible. Only the future knows whether her miss, and her seeming disappearance for long stretches of the game, will hurt her draft stock.

But the result could be equally troubling for the senior program heading towards the 2015 World Cup and Rio 2016. Time was, the U.S. system could churn out Hamms, Wambachs, Solos, and Overbecks by the dozens. You wonder if the players in the current U-20 pool will ever attain that kind of impact.