Carli Lloyd makes Women's World Cup history with first-half hat trick in final

by Jonathan Tannenwald

Published July 5, 2015, 7:31 p.m. ET

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Delran, N.J. native Carli Lloyd made Women's World Cup history in the first half of Sunday's championship game between the United States and Japan, becoming the first player to ever score a hat trick in a final.

She struck twice in the first five minutes, finishing off a Megan Rapinoe corner kick in the third and then getting to a bouncing ball off a Tobin Heath free kick in the fifth. Her third goal, in the 14th minute, was a spectacular chip shot from the halfway line that flew over stranded Japanese goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori.

For more updates from here at BC Place, follow me on Twitter at @thegoalkeeper.

Jonathan Tannenwald

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