Women's World Cup Final: U.S. Defeats Japan, 5-2

At the Los Angeles Times:

Happy 4th of July! #USA #OneMore pic.twitter.com/Bm6MPTvTRu

— Carli Lloyd (@CarliLloyd) July 4, 2015

For a time when she was younger, Carli Lloyd wasn't sure she belonged on the U.S. national team.

And just two weeks ago she wasn't sure where she fit into the U.S. attack in this Women's World Cup.

But on Sunday she finally found her place -- in the record books -- after scoring three goals in the first 16 minutes of the championship game, leading the U.S. to a convincing 5-2 win over Japan before an overwhemingly pro-American crowd of 53,341 at BC Place.

The five goals are the most scored by one team in a Women's World Cup final while for Lloyd the hat trick, the quickest ever by an American in a World Cup, gave her a tournament-best six goals -- the last three all game-winners. She earned the Golden Ball award as the outstanding player of the tournament.

Almost as important, the performance chased away the stubborn ghosts of 1999, which have haunted the U.S. women since they last won a World Cup.

"It's been a lot of years in between '99 and now. And I think it's time," said defender Christie Rampone, the only woman to play for both teams.

"I hope it's not compared to '99 anymore. I hope it's leading on to the next team that wins the World Cup," said Rampone, who made her 19th World Cup appearance in the closing minutes Sunday.

"That's the standard."

Lloyd might have set a new standard Sunday.

Her first two goals came on similar set pieces -- the first on a corner kick by Megan Rapinoe and the second on a free kick by Lauren Holiday. On both plays Lloyd started at the edge of the penalty area then charged into the box unmarked to recover loose balls on the edge of the goal, redirecting them into the net.

But her third goal was clearly the best of the tournament. As she dribbled toward midfield, Lloyd looked up to see Japanese keeper Ayumi Kaihori had strayed dangerously far from the goal line. So Lloyd fired a right-footed shot from 50 yards out.

Kaihori, backpedaling furiously, got the fingers of her right hand on the ball but that wasn't enough to stop it, with the ball hitting the turf, then kissing the left post before going in to give the U.S. a 4-0 lead...