Two finals, three goals and two Olympic titles
In what is a unique achievement for the Olympic Games, the USA’s Carli Lloyd scored all of her side’s goals in the women’s football finals in both Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
Beijing clincher
51,000 spectators inside Beijing’s Workers’ Stadium on Thursday 21 August 2008 bore witness to a passionate, tightly-fought contest between the USA and Brazil as the women’s football tournament reached its climax. It was a repeat of the 2004 Olympic final in Athens, when the USA had secured a 2-1 victory.This time around, with the tie remaining goalless after 90 minutes, the breakthrough did not arrive until six minutes into extra time. After receiving a ball from Lauren Cheney in the Brazilian half, midfielder Carli Lloyd slipped a neat back-heel through to Amy Rodriguez before taking the return ball into her stride, racing to the edge of the box and firing an unstoppable left-footed strike into the far corner of Barbara’s goal. From there the USA maintained their lead and retained their title with a narrow 1-0 victory.
London double
One year after meeting in the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, when Japan sealed victory following a penalty shootout, Japan and the USA resumed their rivalry inside Wembley Stadium on 9 August 2012 with over 80,000 fans watching on, the biggest crowd ever for a women’s Olympic final.
With seven minutes and 29 seconds played, a cross from Alex Morgan found Lloyd at the far post where she duly sent a left-footed volley past Japan goalkeeper Miho Fukumoto from point-blank range.
The score remained unchanged until the 54th minute when Lloyd dribbled at pace through the opposition half, taking aim from 20 yards and unleashing a powerful shot that doubled her side’slead. Though Yuki Ogimi reduced the deficit in the 63rd minute, the USA held their nerve and clinched yet another gold medal with a 2-1 victory.
A unique record
Having dedicated her life to football, Lloyd is now the only player of either gender to have scored all of their team’s goals in two victorious finals.
“I threw myself into football when I was just five and, wherever I went, I’d always had a ball at my feet,” she explains. “I’d just play for hours and hours.”
Lauded for her technical ability, vision and goalscoring instincts, Lloyd has played for the USA national team since 2005, racking up 56 goals by the end of 2014. The 32-year-old from Delran, New Jersey describes her two goals in London as among her greatest moments, but has no plans to rest on her Olympic laurels. “If I can keep going then I’ll continue for as long as possible,” she says, with her sights set on a third consecutive triumph in Rio in 2016.