The women take down Japan! So just like WWII, England and the USA defeat Germany and Japan! I didn't start watching till it was already 5-2, if I didn't know that score and just watching the game from there on out...I'd have figured the Japanese were winning. They were the attackers, had the ball in our zone most of the last 30 minutes. Carli Lloyd really made a name for herself in this Cup.
Japan spent a lot of time in the US half of the field late in the game because the US had all 10 field players back on defense. The US dominated the first 20 minutes of the game and never looked back. They were dominant throughout WC play. The first goal scored by Japan was the first goal given up by the US in 530 minutes of play, tying the record held by Germany. The US size and speed was too much for Japan.
I saw the whole thing. Carli Lloyd had a hat trick in the first 15 minutes, including an incredible goal fired in from midfield! http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/05/football/womens-world-cup-final/index.html The American women slapped them in the mouth right at the start and never looked back. Japan had to take out two of their defenders and replace them with goal scorers just to have a chance. Revenge is a dish best served cold...eh?
Carli Lloyd plays for the Houston Dash, before the WC I'll bet Carli never had a problem going out at night to dinner or clubs with friends. I doubt anybody ever recognized her. The Dash hardly are a blip on the local sports scene, they get probably 3 or 4 thousand fans on the average to their matches. Only a die hard Dash fan might recognize her out on the town with friends and family.
I'll say one thing about Soccer, they sure don't believe in big trophy's. Both World Cup Trophy's a very small when you compare them to the Stanley Cup and the Super Bowl or the College Football Nat'l Championship trophy.
Lloyd is a Jersey girl from Delran, across from Philadelphia. She played at Rutgers but I never heard of her until this WC. Christie Rampone is from nearby Point Pleasant Beach. She has been on this team for 18 years and has got to be around 40. She has two or three kids as well.
re: trophies They try to keep the Word Cup Trophy small, because it's made of real gold. The original men's trophy was won by Brazil after it's third title win...then thieves stole it from their national museum and melted it down. I think the trophy will be OK as long as it's won by civilized places like the USA, Germany and Japan. If it passes into the hands of Argentina or Zimbabwe, all bets are off.
Those first 20 minutes were incredible. That goal from midfield was absolutely unbelievable. I thoroughly enjoyed this game.
Greatest Trophy in sports has to be Lord Stanley's Cup...if they can find it now? I'm sure it's in the back of some BlackHawks trunk or he left it at a bar!! But that's what makes it great! The new college football trophy is just awful, the designers should be shot!