Hope Solo Helps US Women’s Soccer Team Win Gold Against Japan

Hope Solo and the US women’s soccer team won gold in their match against rival Japan. Despite being out-played by Japan, the Americans capitalized on their chances and were incredibly lucky when it counted.

The US women finished second to Japan in last year’s World Cup Final, making the Olympic team determined to beat them and regain their title, reports The New York Daily News.

The match took place on Thursday before an Olympic crowd of 80,203 in the same stadium that England’s national team played in when they won the 1966 World Cup.

Carli Lloyd scored both goals for the US women’s team, starting with her first in the 8th minute of the game. Lloyd then doubled the team’s lead in the 54th minute, scoring another.

Japan, the reigning World Cup champions, did not cave to the pressure from Hope Solo’s fantastic saves, scoring one goal against her using Yuki Ogimi in the 63rd minute.

They were held back by Solo, the US goalkeeper, before each intermission. She frequently defended the goal during the match, making at least one incredible save that will be remembered by the US team for a long time, according to The Huffington Post.

In the 85th minute, Japan was seemingly set to score the game-tying goal that would force extra time. Japan’s Mana Iwabuchi attempted the goal, but Hope Solo made a massive save to preserve the Americans’ slim lead. The historic win by the US Women’s soccer team makes it their third straight gold in the Olympics and their fourth overall.

Were you excited to see the US women’s soccer team win gold against Japan on Thursday?

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