Watch Carli Lloyd’s World Cup final hat trick
Carli Lloyd made sure the U.S. got off to a dream start in the Women’s World Cup final.
The veteran American midfielder scored a hat trick in the opening 16 minutes of the final against Japan on Sunday in Vancouver. It was the first hat trick in Women’s World Cup final history. It provided all the goals the U.S. would need in a 5-2 win.
The opening score came off a corner kick in the third minute.
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Just a few minutes later, Lloyd doubled the U.S. advantage with another score off a set piece.
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After teammate Lauren Holiday scored the third U.S. goal of the first half with a brilliant volley, Lloyd capped her early hat trick with an audacious long-range effort. At midfield, Lloyd unleased a right-foooted shot that Japan goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori could not keep out of her net.
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No stranger to heroics in an international final, the 32-year-old from New Jersey previously scored gold medal-winning goals in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic finals.
“I was just on a mission,’’ Lloyd told FOX after the win. “I was on a mission to help my team win this game.’’
Meet the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team:
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