The USA have beaten the Netherlands 2-0 in the FIFA Women’s World Cup final.
Megan Rapinoe opened the scoring from the penalty spot shortly after the hour mark and Rose Lavelle added a second as the USA became the first female team to win the tournament four times.
The Dutch started well without ever really threatening to open the scoring, but the USA grew into the half as it wore on in Lyon.
America’s Julie Ertz forced a good save from Sari van Veenendaal in the 28th minute, and the Dutch ‘keeper tipped an Alex Morgan effort on to the post shortly afterwards.
Morgan forced another save from van Veenendaal five minutes before half time.
The USA eventually made the breakthrough in the 61st minute.
They were eventually awarded a penalty following a VAR review after Stefanie van der Gragt caught Morgan with a high foot inside the area.
Rapinoe calmly rolled the ball into the net to give the USA the lead from 12 yards.
The veteran’s penalty won her the Golden Boot, and she was also awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s standout player.
Lavelle made it 2-0 with an excellent individual goal eight minutes later.
She burst forward from midfield and fired a powerful low strike into the bottom corner from 20 yards.
The Netherlands, while combative, rarely looked like forcing their way back into the game; the European champions forced to settle for silver on this occasion.
The final whistle saw the USA win the biggest competition in international football for a fourth time, having previously lifted the trophy in 1991, 1999 and 2015.
They are the first country since Germany in 2007 to retain the title.
Jill Ellis has also become the first manager to lift the trophy twice.
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