Powerhouses USA have defended their Women’s World Cup crown, claiming another title after a heated 2-0 defeat of the Netherlands on Monday (AEST).
Captain and provocateur Megan Rapinoe opened the scoring in Lyon with a 61st-minute penalty before Rose Lavelle danced through the midfield eight minutes later to secure the win.
The Americans’ success is their fourth World Cup success, follows their 2015 triumph and confirms their irrefutable status as the best side in the women’s game.
That much was clear all month in France, where the world No.1s began their campaign with a 13-0 walloping of Thailand and ended it with a determined and deserved victory in the showpiece match.
Rapinoe was also crowned as the tournament’s best player, winning the Golden Ball and Golden Boot for leading scorer.
The Dutch, at least, showed more backbone than other sides to face America in France.
None of the USA’s previous six opponents had held Jill Ellis’ scoring juggernaut out past 12 minutes.
“They presented a lot of challenges,” Ellis said.
“I said to the players at half-time, ‘at some point it’s going to break and it’s going to break our way.’
“I felt we would have our opportunities. Credit to the Netherlands for making it hard.”
Goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal was a huge presence in the Dutch resistance, making a string of world-class saves to preserve the stalemate into the second half.
The Dutch captain denied Julie Ertz’s flying volley, Sam Mewis’ glancing header and a pair of efforts from Alex Morgan.
Van Veenendaal missed out on the player-of-the-match award to Rapinoe, but was later announced as the tournament’s best goalkeeper.
With Kelley O’Hara substituted with concussion at the break and Becky Sauerbrunn forced off with a cut head, the Netherlands were forcing a fight.
But the battle-hardened Americans were more than up to it.
As the hour mark loomed, yet another incursion into the Dutch box finally brought a reward for the USA as Stefanie van der Gragt’s outstretched boot caught Morgan high.
After reviewing the footage from the video assistant, referee Stephanie Frappart awarded the penalty for Rapinoe to dispatch.
The goal made Rapinoe the oldest goalscorer in a Women’s World Cup final and the leading goalscorer at the tournament along with teammate Morgan.
With the Netherlands forced to chase the game, opportunities opened up for the USA and Lavelle, the youngest member of the team, took one with style.
The diminutive 24-year-old galloped at the Dutch defence before turning her marker and striking firmly to secure the historic result; the first time the USA has defended the Women’s World Cup.
Dutch coach Sarina Wiegman, who led the Netherlands to an upset European championship in 2017, said her side should hold their heads high given this was just their second World Cup.
“Of course I am disappointed. When you play the final you want to beat the opponent,” she said.
“The USA played very well and deserved to be the world champion.
“I’m still very proud of what we have achieved with our team.”
In the post-match celebrations, German midfielder Giulia Gwinn was also named the tournament’s best young player.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Thailand should never have been there, they benefited from some suspicious skullduggery from FIFA regards North Korea. Thailand womens they have only had one draw and no wins against a top team in their whole history and only after they started including their US born and raised player. US did clean then up good though even considering their standard. Onto North Korea they are bigger than other Asian teams. I wont go in to why they are bigger. If you look at their world cup history they are always placed with the US at the group stage. It seems rather suspicious and improbable that in their 4 world cups they are placed into the US group every time.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Settle down Bt, I don't hold much sway out there in the sports industry. You have provided the reasoning why the women deserve equal pay.
Nick Symonds
Guest
20 RECORDS SET BY USAWNT: - #1 Most goals scored in a single game - 13 against Thailand. #2 Most goals scored in the group stage - 18. #3 Alex Morgan with 5 goals against Thailand tied Michelle Akers record set in 1991 against Chinese Taipei. #4 The first country to win the Women's World Cup 4 times. #5 Megan Rapinoe the first player to score from a penalty kick in regulation play at a Women's World Cup Final. #6 Megan Rapinoe again - the first player to win the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball at a Women's World Cup Final. #7 Megan Rapinoe the oldest player to win Golden Boot and the Golden Ball at a Women's World Cup Final. #8 The United States set a new record for goals scored - 26 - at a Women's World Cup Final. #9 Jill Ellis, the first Coach to win the Women's World Cup twice. #10 The United States matches Germany's achievement of retaining the Women's World Cup. #11 Players from the United States have now won the Golden Ball at the Women's World Cup three times - no other country has more than one. #12 The United States are the first country to play in three consecutive Women's World Cup Finals. #13 The game against the Netherlands was the 50th by the United States at the World Cup, the most be any country. #14 The United States have won 40 of the 50 matches, again, more than any other country. #15 The United States set a new record for wins at a Women's World cup - 7. #16 The United States goal difference of +23 the highest ever recorded by a country at a Women's World Cup. #17 The 2-0 win over the Netherlands extended the United States winning run at the Women's World Cup to 12. The run started in 2015 with a 1-0 win over Nigeria. #18 The United States also now holds the record for the longest unbeaten run. The run kicked off with a 2-2 draw with Brazil in the 2011 semifinal. Japan won the 2011 Women's World Cup beating the US but is was on a penalty kick decider. As such it was recorded as a draw. #19 Five USA players have now matched the record of Germany's Birgit Prinz of appearing at three Women's World Cups - Tobin Heath, Carli, Lloyd, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Ali Krieger. #20 Carli Lloyd set a new record of scoring at least one goal in six straight games - the run started in 2015. - https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobbymcmahon/2019/07/07/the-united-states-win-the-womens-world-cup-and-set-20-new-records/#65be978b7abb
anon
Roar Pro
Alex Morgan’s power and timing was incredible. On another level to Sam Kerr.
JimmyJax
Guest
And four World Cup finals the Dutch men and women have reached without a positive result- surely it's now a thing?
josh
Guest
That pic makes me want the Matildas to pull their heads in and get on with the job of putting this US team in their rightful place. We've beaten them before, we'll do it again.
anon
Roar Pro
USA players were one touch, displayed superior tactical prowess. Didn't like how the Dutch conducted themselves at times abusing the ref.
pacman
Roar Rookie
Yes, I agree re England LH. Equalised once at 1-1 and should have done it again to make it 2-2. Scoring penalties appears to be England's nemesis (sorry, couldn't resist!), women or men. I hope the Matildas start playing like a top six team again, but it may be a longer haul than most of us think. They have looked considerably out of sorts since saying goodbye to Alen Stajcic and were performing well whilst in a "toxic atmosphere".
Griffo
Roar Guru
It could easily have been 3-0 at half time so the keeper of the tournament award rightly deserved. Perhaps a little too much energy first half with some stray passing but Dutch kept themselves in it without too much attacking threat thanks to USA midfield. Not enough heard about hosting next World Cup here. That would be the one to get.
Griffo
Roar Guru
Australia hosting the next World Cup would be unreal and would get the crowds in. How will Europe respond and how much will they grow in next four years remains to be seen. It’s unlikely money will drop off and others will also invest so difficult for countries to quickly improve without doing the same if at least the investment isn’t there. Australia has a good platform to build on but it will need investment in W-League and development to remain there beyond just plain hard yakka over short seasons.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Europe has advanced significantly, that’s the major takeaway from this tournament and if the money, which only started in the last 12-18 months, keeps flowing in even the USA will struggle to keep up.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
As the Optus team commented in their post match show, it's nice to hear the US talking about a world championship that the rest of the world actually plays.
Nick Symonds
Guest
USWNT: 4 World Cups USMNT: 0 World Cups
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
The US women deserve it because they bring in more money than the men and the money is there. Whats very interesting is why aren't you pushing for better pay for the worst paid relative to the media exposure they receive the AFL womens. There are a lot of AFL figures pushing for increases in other sports pay but not their own who are the most underpaid relative to revenue in professional sports. Starting with Schwab back in the NSL days. Is it a strategy underpay your own athletes while trying to get others overpaid.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Anyway, unsurprising that the US was too good for the Leeuwinnen, who still did their country proud by making the final. They have certainly made a splash back home, stumbled across this delightful meme: Nee jongen, voetbal is voor meisjes!
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
That's pretty right AGO74, the Dutch goalkeeper kept them in the game until the 60th minute thereabouts, penalty that broke them. The Dutch did create a couple of chances but they were way short really. I thought England probably gave the US a tougher time in the semis, but the final is a different match so can't really compare. Now that the big European clubs are starting to get serious about football, lets hope there a few challengers to the US in the future. Looking back, Japan impressed me as a team to watch grow in coming years.
Nemesis
Guest
USWNT is probably the only time I'm happy to see the USA win in sport. This team has it all. They're physically, mentally extremely powerful. They've also got some outstanding technicians all across the park. Tactically they're very one dimensional, but their Euro opponents weren't able to beat them, so doesn't matter. Australian women's game has come a long way forward, but Euro nations who were well below us 4 years ago, have caught up & some have past us by.
AGO74
Guest
I have to be honest I didn't see the game so can't really comment too closely on the match given the starting time. I did watch the optus highlights this morning which was about 4 minutes and it seemed like the Dutch keeper saved the game from being a bloodbath with some great saves with only 1 genuine Dutch effort on goal after they were 2-0 down. Well done USA. Best overall team won the tournament. Despite the rise of the 'new' Europeans (when compared to previous world cups) we still saw the same outcome. The USA really are something else in women's football. But that's ok, it gives all nations something to aspire too. Of the games I watched, I really enjoyed as the standard continues to grow materially each year (bit stressful when watching the Matildas). Hopefully women's football and its prestige tournament goes to another level in 4 years time. Unlikely but how awesome would it be if it was played here in Australia.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
It was always going to be the US. They are still a couple of notches above the rest. As the commentary team noted, they've evolved to a higher level when they were challenged by the improving Europeans. They're thinking about their game now, and changing it to the circumstance at hand, something they've never done before. All hail the USWNT. Now, let's go get 'em Matildas. And you at FFA, just try to help and keep out of the way.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Extremely one sided final, it could have been 5-0. The Euro worshippers came out in force for this tourament on this website. They told us that Europe had gone to the next level. no all that has happened is that Scadanavia and Germany have been caught up to by the rest. The USA have always been better than any European team, they were beaten in the past by European teams who had hard nosed physical defensive tactics, and superior defensive tactical organisation. The only team to outclass the USA was Japan at 2011 world cup who were excellent technically. Australia beat that same excellent Japanese team in 2010 Asia cup by packing the penalty area with bodies and booting it long while Japan totally dominated possesion.