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Women's World Cup Final: Alex Morgan and USWNT 5, Japan 2

After falling short in the final of the 2011 World Cup Final to Japan, USWNT withstood a valiant Japanese attack to hold on to win the 2015 World Cup by a final margin of 5-2.

By Ruey Yen
Alex Morgan can now add World Cup Champion to her already very impressive resume (that includes a Cal degree).
Alex Morgan can now add World Cup Champion to her already very impressive resume (that includes a Cal degree).
Michael Chow-USA TODAY Sports

Alex Morgan and USWNT earned redemption on Sunday when they defeated Japan 5-2 in the 2015 Women's World Cup Final. After going ahead twice in the 2011 Final only to have Japan finding a way to get the equalizer, USA jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in record fashion. Carli Lloyd paced the Star and Stripe with a hat trick (see comments for GIF of the goals). UCLA alum Lauren Holiday added a goal.

Credit to Japan for not quitting. They got a goal back, denying Hope Solo of the sole record for longest streak of time without conceding a goal.

Japan then added another goal early in the second half when US player Johnston scored an own goal. Tobin Heath provided the final margin.

Cal alum Alex Morgan had a few chances but again no goal, putting her in a bit of a scoring drought after coming off her injury.

This game marks the last World Cup glory for Abby Wambach and Christine Rampone (who came in for Alex Morgan with 5 minutes to go). It's not clear if either of them will be back for USWNT to defend their Gold Medal next year.

USWNT earns a 3rd star on their kit with this 3rd World Cup victory (3 is the most in women's world cup history, allowing USA to break the tie with Germany).

Although Alex Morgan concluded the 2015 Women's World Cup with just one goal, she was instrumental in making the runs that allow the midfielders to make plays. Certainly, it would have been nice had Alex converted a few of the chances per game that she got, but it is fair to say that missing game action since April to only play her first game in months in the U.S. World Cup opener meant that she was not at her best this time. Fortunately for Alex and us Cal fans, the just turned 26 year old got at least one more (more likely 2) World Cup(s) to shine. For the moment, I'm sure that she is glad to just be a World Champion.

World. Champs.

A photo posted by Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) on

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2015 Women's World Cup Final: U.S.A. vs. Japan

Match date/time: Sunday, 4 p.m. PT, 4 p.m. local

Venue: BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia

TV: FOX (U.S. - English), Telemundo (U.S. - Spanish), CTV, RDS, TSN (Canada), BBC Three (U.K.), NHK (Japan)

Alex Morgan and the U.S. National team will seek a different result in the World Cup final against Japan tonight, after Japan won in Penalty Kicks in the 2011 Women's World Cup.

In the 2011 World Cup Final, it looked at one point like that Alex Morgan has scored the game winning goal:

Of course, the Japanese women fought back to tie the match and it came down to the PK's where an emotional Japan squad won after their country had just suffered from the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Alex Morgan and Team USA did beat Japan in the 2012 Gold Medal game in the London Olympics.

Here is Alex Morgan reliving that Gold Medal game:

After beating the top ranked German squad 2-0 on Tuesday, where Alex Morgan drew the penalty that was converted by Carli Lloyd for the game winning first goal of the match. The USA will face Japan who got to the final by beating England 2-1 in the other semifinal.

By the way, Cal alum and USWNT star Alex Morgan just celebrated her 26th birthday few days ago (on July 2nd).

ICYMI, here is the profile on Alex Morgan that was run on FOX before a US game.

So far this World Cup, Alex Morgan has only managed one goal (a key one against Colombia) but she has drawn two key penalty kicks (both taken by other players - Abby Wambach and then Carli Lloyd). The stars for the USWNT so far has been the backline (even more so than keeper Hope Solo). Obviously, Cal fans would love to see Alex Morgan with the game winner in this one (and move closer toward eventually owning the most goals scored record), but with her fitness just getting better but her killer scoring touch still a bit off, we just might have to settle for another US player to get that spotlight...and I'm sure Alex Morgan would be perfectly fine with that.

GO BEARS!

GO USA!

I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN! I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN!

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