INTRODUCTION WORLD LEADERS The final match of the 2015 Women's World Cup began with a bang Three minutes into the game US player Megan Rapinoe booted a corner kick to the front of the goal Teammate Carli Lloyd raced forward and slammed the ball into the net The US Women's National Team USWNT had a 1 0 lead against Japan The US women stayed on the attack Lauren Holiday passed the ball into the penalty area Julie Johnston pushed it forward and Lloyd drilled a shot to make the score 2 0 The USWNT fans in the crowd cheered and danced Carli Lloyd won the US Soccer Player of the Year award in 2008 and 2015
USWNT fans made a lot of noise during the 2015 final match to support their soccer heroes More than 50 000 people filled BC Place in Vancouver Canada Thousands of USWNT fans had traveled there to see the final match against Japan About 25 million people viewed the game on television It was the most watched soccer match in US history The Women's World Cup takes place every four years The USWNT had won the tournament twice in the past but 2015 marked 16 years since their last championship In 2011 they lost the final match to Japan in a shoot out The USWNT were determined not to lose this time
A Japanese defender sent a SIDELINE REPORT header into the air The ball fell near her goal Holiday smashed At the 2015 Women's it into the upper right corner of World Cup the USWNT the net for a 3 0 US lead did not allow a goal Two minutes later the against them for 540 minutes No team in USWNT struck again Lloyd had tournament history had the ball in the middle of the field gone longer without She sidestepped a defender and allowing a goal blasted a long shot It traveled more than 150 feet 46 m Japan's goalie couldn't reach it The ball bounced into the goal setting off a wild US celebration Lloyd had scored the first hat trick in a Women's World Cup final match After the game US coach Jill Ellis called Lloyd unbelievable and a rock star Japan scored twice to cut the lead in half But US midfielder Tobin Heath knocked in a pass from Morgan Brian to seal the victory 5 2 It was the highest scoring title game in Women's World Cup history The USWNT and their fans celebrated US stars Abby Wambach and Christie Rampone lifted the Women's World Cup trophy with their teammates It doesn't feel real Lloyd said We just made history
JOHNSTON USWNT players celebrate another goal against Japan Other than the United States only Germany has won the Women's World Cup more than once SECRETARY DEFENSE
