United States reclaim FIFA WWC After 16 year wait

Last night the United States became the first country to win the FIFA Women's World Cup three times.

The stars and stripes secured the third star over their famous crest in a 5 - 2 FIFA Women's World Cup Final victory versus Japan. It was a rematch of the 2011 final where Japan walked away World Champions after extra time and penalties but the United States came out determined in Vancouver to ensure they would not to be stepping onto the podium as runners up for a second consecutive time.

Captain Carli Lloyd opened the scoring early in the game with her first goal coming on the second minute. A well practiced training ground move by the United States gave them the lead. As a low driven corner by Megan Rapinoe was placed inside the six yard box, to be met by the darting run of Lloyd from outside the box who side footed it into the net. Less than two minutes later, it was Lloyd again on the scoreboard. This time Lauren Holiday played a low free kick into the box which again was met by an unmarked Lloyd. The United States were leading 2 - 0 inside the opening five minutes of the game.

Lauren Holiday added her name to the score sheet on the 14th minute, when a cross from Tobin Heath was not cleared inside the danger zone. The ball dropped to Holiday for her to catch the ball on the bounce and release a volley into the Japanese net.

Two minutes later, it was none other than Carli Lloyd again who added to the scoreboard. As she scored one of the greatest goals in World Cup history as she spotted Japan's goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori off her line to release a shot from the half way line over the head of the back-peddling keeper. Lloyd had completed a hat trick in just thirteen minutes which is the fastest in World Cup history and the first hat trick ever scored in a FIFA Women's World Cup Final.

Japan looked to be making a comeback in this game on the 27th minute when Ogimi ended Hope Solo's record of holding a clean sheet for 540 minutes of this campaign when she fired a shot past the Golden Glove winner. It was the United States who had one hand on the trophy at the break as they headed into the break with a 4 - 1 lead.

Japan added to their goal tally early in the second half when Captain Miyama's free kick came off the head of United States central defender Julie Johnston into her own net. However, it didn't take long for the United States to reclaim their three goal lead as midfielder Tobin Heath netted from close range to make it 5 - 2. It was Heath's first World Cup goal as she sealed the famous victory for the United States and ended their nightmare of living in the shadows of the famous 1999 squad who last won the FIFA Women's World Cup.

United States: Solo; Krieger, Sauerbrunn, Johnston, Klingenberg; Brian, Holiday; Heath (Wambach, 79), Lloyd, Rapinoe (O'Hara, 61); Morgan (Rampone, 86).

Japan: Kaihori, Iwashimizu (Sawa, 33), Kumagai, Sameshima, Sakaguchi, Miyama (C), Kawasumi (Sugasawa, 39), Ohno (Iwabuchi, 60), Utsugi, Ogimi, Ariyoshi

Yellow Cards: Sawa (82), Iwabuchi (85).

Attendance:  53341

Referee: MONZUL Kateryna (UKR)

FIFA Women's World Cup Final Match Highlights: