Despite Disappointing Ouster, Delran's Lloyd Stood Out In Olympics
Despite Disappointing Ouster, Delran's Lloyd Stood Out In Olympics While the U.S. Women's Soccer team had a disappointing ouster in the Olympics, Delran product Carli Lloyd continued her brilliance on the international stage.
Lloyd is arguably the best big-game performer in women's soccer history. As a review, she scored the game-winning goals in the gold medal Olympic Games in 2008 and 2012 for the U.S.
Then in leading the U.S. to the 2015 World Cup championship, Lloyd scored a hat trick in the first 16 minutes as the U.S. beat Japan, 5-2 in the championship game. She won the Golden Ball as the top player in the World Cup. And then Lloyd's year was culminated by being named the FIFA Women's Soccer Player of the Year.
So with so many big game performances, Lloyd began the Olympics the way she ended the World Cup. She scored the first goal during the United States' opening 2-0 win over New Zealand.
It was a gritty goal by Lloyd, who can score in a variety of ways. Lloyd headed in a cross from Tobin Heath to open the scoring in the ninth minute.
Then in the second game, she scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over France. The goal came in the 63rd minute and Lloyd was in the right place at the right time, something that is no accident for the veteran. A close shot by Heath was saved by France keeper Sarah Bouhaddi off the left post. Lloyd tapped the ball in for the game winner.
This remember came after Lloyd had been sidelined for much of the previous two months with a knee injury, but she came on strong.
Even when the U.S was eliminated by Sweden in these Olympic Games, Lloyd came through in the clutch. The teams played to a 1-1 draw through regulation and overtime and the game then went into penalty kicks.
With the U.S. trailing 2-1 in the penalty kick segment, Lloyd scored in the upper left side. Even though the Hedvig Lindahl guessed correctly, the Swedish keeper she was unable to stop the shot.
At 33-years old, Lloyd has insisted even before the Olympics that she had plenty of soccer left in her. Now the U.S will point to the 2019 World Cup in France.
Lloyd also competes for the Houston Dash in the National Women's Soccer League. Between now the next World Cup there will be inevitable changes in the U.S. lineup, but Lloyd expects to be a fixture.
Lloyd and the U.S. team return to action for two international friendlies on Sept. 15 against Thailand in Columbus, Ohio and on Sept. 18 against the Netherlands in Atlanta.
No doubt Lloyd is already thinking about returning to action. She has always taken such great pride in representing the U.S. and few in her sport have ever done it better.
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Author: Marc Narducci
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