USA Downs Japan 5-2 To Win 2015 Women’s World Cup

Lineups:

USA:

1-Hope Solo; 11-Ali Krieger, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 19-Julie Johnston, 22-Meghan Klingenberg; 12-Lauren Holiday, 14-Morgan Brian, 10-Carli Lloyd (capt.), 15-Megan Rapinoe, 13-Alex Morgan, 17-Tobin Heath.

Available Subs:

2-Sydney Leroux, 3-Christie Rampone, 5-Kelley O’Hara, 6-Whitney Engen, 7-Shannon Boxx, 8-Amy Rodriguez, 9-Heather O’Reilly, 16-Lori Chalupny, 18-Ashlyn Harris, 20-Abby Wambach, 21-Alyssa Naeher, 23-Christen Press

It was the final we’d all been waiting for: the rematch between USA and Japan. It was also the game that gave us a glimpse of the U.S. Women’s National Team of yesteryear. The USA opened up the match with an aggression and determination that was hard to describe. Carli Lloyd, playing the best game of her life, was described by Coach Ellis as “a beast”. Not only did she notch a hat trick, she scored the opening 2 goals in less than 6 minutes.

• Lloyd is the first American to score in four straight Women’s World Cup games.
• Lloyd (3′) scores the fastest goal ever in a Women’s World Cup final.
• #USWNT is the first team to score twice in the first five minutes of any Women’s World Cup game.
• Lloyd’s hat trick is the first by any player in a WWC Final.The USA’s four goals are also the most score by one team in a FIFA WWC Final.

Lauren Holiday scored a sweet volley from right inside the 17-yd box and to make this drubbing even sweeter, Carli Lloyd snagged a hat-trick by catching Japan’s keeper off her line from midfield.

Japan was able to salvage a goal out of the chaos when Nahomi Kawasumi found Yuki Ogimi in the penalty area and sent a standing ball into the top corner to beat Hope Solo. So the USA’s scoreless streak ended with that goal by Ogimi and they actually tied the World Cup record. With the score 4-1 in the 28′ minute, it would seem the U.S. could continue in cruise control.

Halftime Stats Summary: USA / JPN
Shots: 9 / 3
Shots on Goal: 5 / 3
Saves: 2 / 1
Corner Kicks: 3 / 0
Fouls: 7 / 3
Offside: 1 / 0

But those who know soccer know that there’s another 45′ minutes left and anything can happen. The girls had a scare in the early moments of the 2nd Half when Julie Johnston made an own goal to cut the lead in half, 4-2. All of a sudden the girls felt a bit of pressure from the Japanese.

The girls were absolutely deadly on set pieces (two of Lloyd’s three goals came from them). The girls created multiple chances off of counters as well. Just a few minutes after that own goal, Tobin Heath netted a goal after a sweet lead pass from Morgan Brian.

[SEE ALL THE GOALS]

With the score at 5-2 and the game slowly inching towards completion, it was about time to start showing respect to some of the veterans. Tobin Heath came out for Abby Wambach, and Alex Morgan left to make room for Christie Rampone. After the game, it was only right that the veteran-pair walked on-stage together to accept their medals and hoist the World Cup trophy together.

The final score in the 2015 Women’s World Cup Final was 5-2 against a formidable Japanese side that was simply off their game tonight. Japan is a class side that just weren’t firing on all cylinders.

It’s been an entertaining World Cup and Canada played a great host, with amazing fans and having great playing conditions for the most part. Hopefully, we’ll never have to deal with turf again and we’ll see the girls on grass in France in 2019.

Here is a list of records from tonight’s match:

• The USA is the first nation to capture three Women’s World Cup titles.
• The USA has now score the most goals in FIFA WWC history with 112, surpassing Germany’s mark of 111.
• The USA has scored the most goals of any team to play in a WWC Final; no other team has ever scored more than two goals in a WWC Final.
• The USA and Japan account for the two-highest scoring WWC Finals, (2-2 in 2011 and 5-2  in 2015).
• Lloyd’s hat trick is the first by any player in a WWC Final.
• The USA’s four goals are also the most score by one team in a FIFA WWC Final.
• Lloyd’s two goals represent the first multi-goal game for a U.S. player in a World Cup final since Michel Akers scored two goals against Norway in the USA’s 2-1 win in the 1991 WWC Final in Guanzhou, China. She is the third American to score a hat trick in a WWC after Carin Jennings Gabarra (three against Germany in ’91 Semfinals) and Akers (five against Chinese Taipei in ’91 Quarterfinals)

AWARDS

adidas Golden Ball Award

adidas Golden Boot Award

adidas Golden Glove Award

Hyundai Best Young Player Award

FIFA Fair Play Trophy (max. 1000 Points)

-Jon J.