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Women's World Cup: USA champions after Carli Lloyd shreds Japan Women's World Cup: USA lift the trophy after Carli Lloyd shreds Japan
(35 minutes later)
The Americans insisted they weren’t thinking about four years ago, when they lost the Women’s World Cup final to Japan on penalty kicks. “I don’t have a rear view mirror in my life,” USA coach Jill Ellis said. Carli Lloyd’s fiance Brian wanted to come to Vancouver to see her play in the Women’s World Cup final. Lloyd told him to stay home.
The Americans said Sunday’s game may have been a rematch, but it wasn’t about redemption. Maybe winning changes all that, though. He had to watch her score a hat-trick and lift the trophy on television instead.
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Buoyed by a monster performance from a wild and free Carli Lloyd, the Americans stunned the Japanese as Lloyd scored a hat trick in just 16 minutes to propel to Americans to a 5-2 win. “My fiance was coming, until that I made sure he wasn’t. It’s just so demanding mentally – I feel more mentally zapped right now than physically,” Lloyd said after the match. “I want him here now to celebrate, but I just had to focus.”
With victory, the Americans won their first World Cup in 16 years, and tallied a record third Women’s World Cup. Sunday was a rematch of the 2011 Women’s World Cup final, and a redemption story for the Americans, but all of that melted away as Lloyd put on the kind of performance that requires someone to be completely in the zone. What had gone before between these two teams didn’t matter in the end: Lloyd wrote her own history.
Lloyd’s third goal of the evening was her most audacious, and encapsulated the hold the Americans had on the match. Just a step from the center line, Lloyd noticed goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori way off her line and launched the ball from just inside the Japanese half. Kaihori got her fingertips on it but it ricocheted off the post and in. Buoyed by Lloyd running wild and free in the attack, USA stunned the Japanese. Lloyd scored three times in just 16 minutes to propel the Americans to a 5-2 win and their third first World Cup in 16 years, their third overall.
Lloyd’s first two came on set pieces, but it wasn’t Japan’s lack of height that hurt them – it was poor defending. Lloyd’s final goal of the evening was her most audacious, and encapsulated the hold the Americans had on the match. She noticed goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori way off her line, and launched the ball from just inside the Japanese half. Kaihori got her fingertips on it but it ricocheted off the post and in.
On the first, just five minutes into the match, Lloyd shook her defender and ran toward the near post and met the ball with the outside of her foot. Two minutes later, defender Julie Johnston flicked on a corner behind her with a heel, and Lloyd smashed it home. This wasn’t the first time Lloyd has punished Japan. In the 2012 Olympics, she scored both of USA’s goals to clinch the gold medal 2-1.
Lauren Holiday scored a beautiful 14th-minute volley off a loose ball that will be overshadowed by Lloyd’s dazzling performance. “She always does this to us,” Japan coach Norio Sasaki said. “In London, she scored twice. Today, she scored three times. So, we’re embarrassed, but she’s an excellent player.”
Down four goals, the Japanese paused, huddled and looked to regroup. The Nadeshiko showed a brief hint that they may be able to work their way back into the match, capitalizing on some horrible defending in the box in the 28th minute. But they couldn’t test goalkeeper Hope Solo enough – Japan’s second goal came from a Johnston own goal. Lloyd’s first two goals at BC Place came on set pieces, but it wasn’t Japan’s lack of height that hurt them – it was poor defending from clever low corners.
In an effort to reshuffle his deck, Japan coach Norio Sasaki used two of his substitutions before the 40th minute, bringing veteran Homare Sawa, who finished her sixth and last World Cup in Japan’s loss. On her first, just five minutes into the match, Lloyd shook her defender and ran toward the near post to meet a low, driven ball with the outside of her foot. Two minutes later, defender Julie Johnston backheeled from another corner, and Lloyd smashed it home.
Brush fires nearby left BC Place with a smoky haze that smelled like a bonfire and looked like smog, but USA coach Jill Ellis said there was something else in the air.
“There was this feeling – we just knew,” Ellis said. “I just [knew] that the players could deliver. I told them in the semi-final game that these players are born for big moments; this is what they relish. It doesn’t surprise me that as the games got harder, this team gets better.” Ellis also called Lloyd her “rock star”.
Lauren Holiday scored a beautiful 14th-minute volley off a loose ball that will be overshadowed by Lloyd’s dazzling performance. Tobin Heath added the fifth and final of the match 10 minutes after the half.
Down four goals early, the Japanese paused, huddled and looked to regroup. They showed a brief hint that they might be able to work their way back into the match, Yuki Ogimi capitalizing on some bad defending to score in the 28th minute.
“The US has studied and improved their set plays and we needed to account for that,” Sasaki said. “We needed to put more emphasis on attacks. We should’ve been more assertive and actively seek goals.”
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Sunday’s goal fest was a rematch of the Women’s World Cup four years ago, when Japan and USA played to a 2-2 draw, and the Japanese clinched the world title in a deciding penalty kick shootout. The Americans had been undefeated in 25 prior meetings with Japan going into that final when the Nadeshiko shocked the world. But they couldn’t test USA goalkeeper Hope Solo enough, officially recording four shots on goal, but a couple of those saves barely stretched Solo. Japan’s secondcame from a Johnston own goal.
In an effort to reshuffle his deck, Sasaki used two of his substitutions before the 40th minute was up, bringing veteran Homare Sawa, who finished her sixth and last World Cup in Japan’s loss.
Four years ago Japan and USA played to a 2-2 draw, and the Japanese clinched the world title in a penalty shootout. The Americans had been undefeated in 25 prior meetings with Japan going into that final when the Nadeshiko shocked the world.
The Americans exacted a form of revenge a year later, when they won the 2012 Olympics. But the Women’s World Cup tends to be viewed as the pinnacle by the American players, despite both tournaments featuring most of the same nations and players.The Americans exacted a form of revenge a year later, when they won the 2012 Olympics. But the Women’s World Cup tends to be viewed as the pinnacle by the American players, despite both tournaments featuring most of the same nations and players.
Going into Sunday’s final, both USA and Japan were unbeaten in Canada with USA ranked No 2 in the world compared to Japan, ranked No 4. Japan had only given up three goals in the entire Women’s World Cup going into Sunday’s rout, where they conceded five. Going into Sunday’s final, both USA and Japan were unbeaten in Canada with USA ranked No 2 in the world compared to Japan, ranked No 4. Japan had only given up three goals in the entire Women’s World Cup going into Sunday’s rout, where they conceded five. It’s a grim statistic they will never forget.