Tobin Heath Puts the Final Nail in the Coffin as USA beat Japan 5-2

The USA bulldozed Japan out of the gate in the 2015 Women's World Cup Final this afternoon, jumping out to a four goal lead after only eighteen minutes and holding on to win 5-2. Carli Lloyd was the hat-trick hero for the Americans, scoring the US's first, second, and fourth goals, with a strike from Lauren Holiday interrupting her for the third, but it was Portland Thorns FC midfielder Tobin Heath who put home the US's fifth in the 54th minute, sealing the door on a budding Japan comeback.

Heath played 79 minutes and fellow Thorn Alex Morgan played 86 in the USWNT's third World Cup win, the team's first since 1999.

With the Japanese controlling much of the flow of play and pulling back a goal on either side of half time, the US found their once daunting 4-0 lead dwindling to 4-2 after an unfortunate own goal by Julie Johnston in the 52nd minute. Before the Japanese could capitalize on their new-found momentum, however, the US pushed back down the pitch and sent the ball into the box.

And then Heath happened.

(Check the link above for a high quality, but not embeddable version.)