United States' Carli Lloyd celebrates after scoring her third goal against Japan during the first half of the FIFA Women's World Cup soccer championship in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Sunday, July 5, 2015.
Carli Lloyd scored from the halfway line to complete the fastest hat trick in Women’s World Cup history and lead the U.S. soccer team she captains to a record third title.
United States wins Women's World Cup thanks to four-goal first half against Japan
Lloyd’s three goals in the first 16 minutes of Sunday’s final in Vancouver helped the U.S. to a 5-2 win over defending champion Japan. The third was a stunner: A shot shot from more than 50 yards out in the 16th minute left Japanese goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori scrambling back in a failed attempt to keep the ball from dropping into the net.
“I’ve dreamed of scoring a shot like that,” Lloyd said. “When you’re feeling good mentally, physically, those plays just are instincts and it just happens. I feel like I blacked out the first 30 minutes or so in that game.”
The first three-goal performance in a Women’s World Cup final earned Lloyd, 32, the Golden Ball as the best player of the game. She’s the second American to claim the award after Carin Jennings at the 1991 edition.
Japan's goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori gets a hand on but can't save a goal scored by United States' Carli Lloyd during the first half of the FIFA Women's World Cup soccer championship in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Sunday, July 5, 2015.
“I was just on a mission to win this game,” Lloyd, a two-time Olympic champion who plays for the Houston Dash of the National Women’s Soccer League, told broadcaster Fox after the game.
Lloyd’s goals tied her with Celia Sasic of Germany for the most at the tournament, with six apiece. Sasic, 27, took the Golden Boot award as top scorer on a tiebreaker.
Even though she began the final as team captain, Lloyd didn’t lift the trophy. She passed the honour to 35-year-old Abby Wambach, the U.S. women’s career scoring leader, and Christie Rampone, who at 40 is the oldest player to appear in a Women’s World Cup.
Lloyd handed the captain’s armband to Wambach when she joined the game as a substitute for Heath in the 79th minute, while Rampone took to the field in the 86th minute.
Goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori #18 of Japan reacts after she is unable to save a goal by Carli Lloyd #10 of the United States as Lloyd scores her third goal in the first half in the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 Final at BC Place Stadium on July 5, 2015 in Vancouver, Canada.
New Jersey-born Lloyd scored June 30 in a 2-0 victory for the second-ranked Americans over Germany in the semifinals and got the only goal in a 1-0 win against China in the quarterfinals.
Lloyd also scored two goals to lead the U.S. to a 2-1 to victory over Japan in the gold medal match at the 2012 Olympics in London.
“Ms. Lloyd, she always does this to us,” Japan coach Norio Sasaki told reporters. “We’re a bit embarrassed.”
Lloyd opened the scoring in the third minute of the final, turning in a low corner kick with a left-footed shot. Two minutes later she made it 2-0 with a right-footed shot.
Credit: news.nationalpost.com/
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