Carli Lloyd: Three highlights from 2015 - FIFA BALLON D'OR
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Carli Lloyd has unquestionably enjoyed a banner year after winning the adidas Golden Ball and adidas Silver Boot as the American No10 led USA to their record third FIFA Women’s World Cup™ title. Unsurprisingly, Lloyd’s leadership and goal-scoring heroics for the Stars and Stripes have seen her nominated for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year award.
The Americans’ ‘Victory Tour’ concluded on Wednesday, celebrating their triumph at Canada 2015 while also sending Abby Wambach into retirement in style. Lloyd, meanwhile, continued her hot scoring streak, bagging nine goals in those nine games to end the year in form, having also recently been named United States Soccer Federation Women’s Player of the Year.
FIFA.com has selected three highlights from a year that Lloyd can certainly look back on in pride as she awaits the results of the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala on 11 January.
China PR-USA: Pivotal quarter-final performance
26 June 2015
After seeing off a resilient Colombian side in the Round of 16 at Canada 2015, the general consensus was that USA were handed a fairly straightforward quarter-final match-up against China PR. The Chinese made it anything but simple for the Americans, however, and after a goalless first half, Lloyd came up with the goods to earn the Stars and Stripes a 1-0 win. Six minutes after half-time, Julie Johnston sent in a deep cross that found Lloyd near the penalty spot amidst a crowd of defenders. The No10 climbed highest and powered her header downwards to the near post past the diving Wang Fei. Stout defending from Lloyd, who earned the Live Your Goals Player of the Match honours for her performance, also helped kept Hope Solo’s clean sheet intact to send her side through to the semi-finals.
USA-Japan: Hat-trick hero
5 July 2015
In one of the most memorable individual performances in the history of World Cup Finals, Lloyd almost single-handedly led USA to victory against Japan in the Canada 2015 decider with her first-half hat-trick. The Americans ultimately ran out 5-2 winners, with Lloyd scoring the first, second and fourth goals at BC Place. The goal to seal her hat-trick, however, is what makes this match even more special for the New Jersey native. After a quick touch around her defender, Lloyd looked up from midfield and spotted Ayumi Kaihori well off of her line. The Japan goalkeeper could only get a flailing fingertip to the USA No10’s long-range drive that settled in off the post and sent the largely American crowd into a frenzy only 16 minutes into the match.
Houston Dash-Kansas City: Last-minute laser
29 July 2015
Lloyd wasted little time in returning to club football after lifting the Women’s World Cup Trophy and she quickly took the National Women’s Soccer League by storm, scoring in three consecutive matches for Houston Dash. The final goal in that streak came in the 86th minute of a match against the eventual NWSL champions Kansas City, and it was as sweet a strike to win a game as there can be. With the score level at 2-2, Lloyd took a touch into space and unleashed an effort from 30 yards that left Nicole Barnhart no chance as it rifled into the top corner with unstoppable pace. The goal, well worth a look, found its way onto highlight reels around the world and demonstrated Lloyd’s goal-scoring prowess at the Women’s World Cup was certainly no fluke.