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Carli Lloyd leads USA to 3rd World Cup title

Lloyd delivers a hat trick against Japan

VANCOUVER, British Columbia

Carli Lloyd came up big again. Three times.

And with it came the Americans’ elusive third Women’s World Cup title.

Lloyd scored three times, as the U.S. burst to a four-goal lead in the first 16 minutes, and the Americans overwhelmed defending champion Japan 5-2 on Sunday for their record third championship and first since 1999.

A sellout crowd of 53,341 that included U.S. Vice President Joe Biden roared in approval for Lloyd’s hat trick, the first ever in a Women’s World Cup final.

“I was just on a mission,” Lloyd said. “I was on a mission to help my team win this game.”

When it was over, Lloyd collapsed to her knees and pumped her fists. Forward Abby Wambach bear-hugged teary eyed head coach Jill Ellis, lifting her off the ground.

Lloyd, voted the Golden Ball as player of the tournament, scored twice in a span of about 135 seconds, as the U.S. led 2-0 by the fifth minute.

Lauren Holiday boosted the lead in the 14th, and two minutes later Lloyd made it 4-0 with an audacious 54-yard, right-footed shot from midfield that sailed over goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori.

Japan closed on Yuki Ogimi’s goal in the 27th and an own goal by Julie Johnston on an errant header in the 52nd. Tobin Heath scored two minutes later, the third goal off a restart for the Americans.

Lloyd’s third goal came when Kaihori ventured far off her line. The keeper backpedaled and got her right hand on it, but it glanced off a post into the goal.

“I called her my beast, and she is just a beast, man,” Ellis said. “She’s unbelievable. Rock star. Just so happy for her.”

It was also the fastest hat trick in World Cup history, men or women, and Lloyd became the first American since Michelle Akers in 1991 to score multiple goals in a World Cup final. The only other hat trick in a World Cup final was when England’s Geoff Hurst scored three times against Germany in the men’s 1966 final at Wembley.

“Miss Lloyd she always does this to us. In London she scored 2 goals, and today she scored 3 goals. We are embarrassed,” Japan coach Norio Sasaki said. “But she is an excellent player, and I really respect her and admire her.”

Lloyd scored six goals in seven matches during the monthlong tournament, raising her international total to 69. She joined Carin Jennings in 1991 as the only Americans to win the Golden Ball.

Ogimi’s goal in was the first Solo had allowed after five consecutive shutouts. The only other goal scored against her came in the first half of the tournament opener against Australia.

The United States went 540 minutes without conceding a goal, the longest streak in the World Cup since Germany went 679 scoreless minutes from 2003-11.

Japan’s victory over the United States four years ago was its first World Cup title, and it came just months after the massive earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan, killing more than 20,000 people and touching off the worst nuclear catastrophe since Chernobyl in 1986.

“Speechless. Honestly, I’m so proud of this team,” an emotional Lloyd said. “This doesn’t feel real. It hasn’t sunk in. So unbelievably proud of every single person on this team. We just made history.”



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