The U.S. Women’s National Team beat Japan 5-2 on Sunday to win their first World Cup since 1999. Here are eight quick takeaways from the thrilling Final.
The coin flip
Perhaps the most important thing that happened before the opening kick was pure chance. The U.S. won the coin flip, and got to decide which end to defend. With the sun angling in to one side of the stadium, right at the defense and keepers, the U.S. wisely chose to play out of the shadows. It’s hard to say just how much of an impact the sun played, but it clearly hampered the Japanese defense in the first half, as it did the Americans in the second. Five of the seven goals scored came on the goal looking into the setting sun.
(Getty Images/Jeff Vinnick)
Getty Images/Jeff Vinnick
A dream startWe discussed on WTOP on Friday that Japan had started well in really every game of the tournament, never taking more than a half-hour to score, and never trailing in the tournament. Conversely, the United States went to the locker room at the half in all three elimination games scoreless. At the very least, keeping Japan off the board early would bode well for the USWNT. And an early goal? That might be golden.
Well, it didn’t take long for the U.S. to set the tone. Just over 200 seconds into the game Carli Lloyd slotted home a perfect low corner left-footed, the fastest goal ever scored in a Women’s World Cup Final.
(Getty Images/Kevin C. Cox)
Getty Images/Kevin C. Cox
Japan comes unglued
Arguably the most composed team throughout the World Cup, Japan came completely unglued over the first 16 minutes after that early goal. The second goal was nobody’s fault, as an excellent heel flip by Julie Johnston set up Lloyd’s finish. But a horrific failed clearance allowed Lauren Holiday’s smash in the 14th minute, and just two minutes later, Lloyd made history.
(Getty Images/Dennis Grombkowski)
Getty Images/Dennis Grombkowski
The half-line goal
Is this a dream? Is it a lie? There are hat tricks, then there are moments where you gather every piece of headwear you own, throw them in a bag, and drive them down to the Salvation Army, because the thought of ever covering your head again seems sacrilegious.
Already sporting a brace, Lloyd picked up a turnover just shy of midfield, looked up, and saw Japanese keeper Ayumi Kaihori off her line. Through the shadows, she saw enough daylight to take an audacious crack, ripping a ball toward goal from 54 yards away. Kaihori turned in desperation, sprawling backward toward her own net. She flung herself back, hands sprawled, a last-ditch attempt to escape disaster. And while she got her right hand to the ball, it was only enough to push it to the inside of the post, where it caromed in. 4-0, with a bullet.
(Getty Images/Dennis Grombkowski)
No history
The story of the World Cup coming into Sunday was the surprising dominance of the U.S. defense, which had allowed a single goal all tournament, and was only 28 minutes of scoreless play from setting a new record-long scoreless streak in a World Cup. Just seconds before they would have reached that mark, Japan got on the board, stopping the clock at 540 minutes, literally one minute shy of setting the new record.
That goal also kept the final 75 minutes from being a glorified coronation, planting the slightest seed of doubt in the mind. Japan had a couple other good chances before the half was out, but couldn’t break the American defense again before the halftime whistle.
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
AP Photo/Elaine Thompson
Jill Ellis’ redemption
Critics were loud throughout the group stage, as the U.S. offense seemed disjointed and stagnant. They wondered aloud if the Americans were destined for trouble come the latter stages of the tournament, and directed their ire toward head coach Jill Ellis. And whether it was all a part of some larger plan, or things simply worked out, nobody can sing anything but praise for Ellis’ strategy now.
Right before the opening kick of the final, the camera flashed to Ellis on the sideline, flashing a Cheshire cat grin. Could she really be so relaxed before the biggest game of her coaching life? Was she just taking a moment to soak it all in? Or did she know something the rest of us didn’t, that her team was saving its master stroke for the biggest stage in the sport?
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
AP Photo/Elaine Thompson
Boring?
Ha! Hahahahaha! A scoreless grind through 120 minutes followed by penalty kicks might have given the miserable folks unable to enjoy this tournament the ammunition they felt they needed to dismiss it as boring. But, no, that didn’t happen.
Instead, the U.S. and Japan turned in the highest-scoring game in Women’s World Cup Final history, netting seven goals. The game was a frenzy right from the opening kick, and even though the final scoreline looked like a blowout, there were moments of stress to be found when Japan scored twice in a row to pull within 4-2. But the fifth and final U.S. goal came swiftly after, prompting the celebration among the heavy pro-America crowd in Vancouver.
(Getty Images/Ronald Martinez)
Getty Images/Ronald Martinez
The Abby Wambach retirement tour
Game in hand or not, Wambach was always likely to come on near the end of the Final. When she did, in the 79th minute with the game already well decided, she received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of more than 53,000. Lloyd, in the midst of a legendary, career-defining game, pulled the captain’s armband from her arm and insisted Wambach take it for the rest of the game. It was a reverse passing of the torch, as Wambach would note after the game, and a reminder that while this was Wambach’s last run as a member of the USWNT, her very appearance in this tournament was almost ceremonial.
If we learned anything along the way — and especially Sunday — it’s that the future of American soccer is very strong, and that the next generation of stars has already arrived.
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
