Blog: Carli Lloyd’s life has changed forever. #USAvJPN #USA #USWNT

By, Kyle Gibson 

As I post this, the United States has just won its first Women’s World Cup since 1999 and third ever, with a 5-2 win against Japan.  

The team played beautiful defense and acted cohesively at every step. 

However, there was one supreme driving force when the going got tough in the knockout stages.

Carli Lloyd stepped up and delivered tremendously when it mattered. She is now a household name. 

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I have to admit, she did not play well at first, especially during the three Group Stage games. 

Credit Coach Jill Ellis with keeping faith in Lloyd and moving her to a more attacking position. 

She scored a penalty against Colombia, the winner against China and the first goal (again from the penalty spot) against Germany in the semifinal. 

Then she followed up by scoring a hat trick in 17 minutes against Japan in the final. That included a brilliant run on a free kick, a right place, right time finish for the second and the DAGGER, a half field strike. 

She also won the Golden Ball (best player) and silver boot (co-top scorer) for the tournament.

This will go down as the best single game performance in World Cup history, men’s or women’s. I think it’s better than even Maradona’s quarterfinal against England in 1986 that included the “hand of God” goal. 

This should also go down as one of the best big game performance in American sports history. 

This will definitely make Lloyd a household name, moreso than even Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach. 

At risk of sounding like a business reporter, this is also a huge chance for endorsement deals. She is already endorsed by Nike, but is due to reap the benefits of a World Cup hat trick. People love winners and companies love to be associated with them. 

There will probably never be a World Cup Final performance like this again. 

It’s pretty safe to say that Carli Lloyd’s life will probably never be the same as well. 

This is It: Preview for #USAvJPN and Score Prediction #USA

By, Kyle Gibson

Time for revenge for the United States Women’s National Team. 

After blowing two leads in 2011, the U.S. has a chance to win its first World Cup in 16 years by defeating Japan, who handed the team it’s loss just four years ago.

Heck, I’ve never done this, but I can’t even finish this blog. I wanted to post a really thoughtful preview, but my fingers are shaking as I type this. I’m so nervous and I just watched a documentary about the 1999 winning team, so now I’m crying.

Here’s what this boils down to. The United States can’t afford to make too many mistakes a very tactical Japan team. It will punish them. 

You also need to leave some firepower on the bench, just in case. Leave Abby Wambach, unless you want to honor her, then introduce Alex Morgan later. We also need to see very strong games from Carli Lloyd and Julie Johnston, who have truly led the team along with Becky Sauerbrunn. 

I think that the United States will win. It has become the best team in the tournament before our very eyes. Give Jill Ellis the credit she deserves here. 

The U.S. Will win 2-1. When we win, pause and remember as you celebrate. 

And never be afraid to cry. 

Preview and Prediction: Tonight’s #USWNT Game will be Closer than Many Expect #USAvCOL

By, Kyle Gibson 

Yes, Colombia is talking trash. 

Yes, they aren’t exactly used to the big stage.

Yes, ESPN’s Paul Carr tweeted that Abby Wambach has almost as many goals with her head (77) as Colombia has career goals (82). 

That still doesn’t mean that tonight won’t be a close game.

For all the confidence we have given the United States women’s national team this Women’s World Cup, there has not been a lot of cohesiveness and ability, let alone consistency to back up any of that confidence in this team. 

Sure, there are the bright spots: Hope Solo, Meghan Klingenberg, Julie Johnston, Becky Sauerbrunn and Megan Rapinoe. However, they are the only players that have shown a great deal of consistency for the side. 

Frankly, if the United States is going to win the World Cup, it will need to find some consistency and desire from its attacking players. Looking at Carli Lloyd, Christen Press, Morgan Brian and Sydney Leroux here. (I’m giving Alex Morgan a pass here due to injury and Abby Wambach gets a bit of one because she scored last game.) 

Colombia is not a foe to be taken lightly. They beat France in the group stage. Yep, the France, which advanced to the Quarters in real style and are in the small group of front runners. 

Lady Andrade is cocky and in form (two WWC 2015 goals) and I truly think she will score tonight. 

The U.S. Will need its A game tonight. 

Prediction: USA 2-1 Colombia US goals by Rapinoe and Wambach. Colombia goal by Andrade. 

New Post! Here are my three stars from #USvAUS. Hint, Megan Rapinoe may be on this list. #USA

By, Kyle Gibson

The U.S. Women’s national team got off to one heck of a start at the women’s World Cup Monday with a 3-1 win against Australia. Here are the three brightest stars for the U.S.

Ranked from third to first

3) Christen Press/ Sydney Leroux

Press scored the goal that Leroux created, but both were really able to do good things from the midfield as the game progressed. Carli Lloyd didn’t make a lot of noise in this game, but she didn’t have to with Megan Rapinoe playing lights out and these two making increasingly stellar plays. Seeing these two play so well is a reassuring sign for US fans going forward.

2) Hope Solo

I think many fans were nervous about how hope would react to the recent allegations that have come forth from the Outside the Lines report by ESPN. She more than demonstrated her tunnel vision and focus, making two world class saves early.

We can talk all day about Solo’s shot stopping — which is superb — but that isn’t all she has in her game. Watch her positioning next time out. No other keeper in the women’s game is as good at either of these key aspects of keeping.

That was a master class in goalkeeping by Hope Solo.

1) Megan Rapinoe

Who else? Rapinoe may have just made herself a household name by scoring two of the three goals tonight. The first was an unlucky deflection. The second was a thing of beauty, a more than 50 yard solo run and a calm slot past the keeper from the top of the box.

Rapinoe proved to Jill Ellis and her teammates tonight that she can lead an attack on the big stage. With the sharpness and fitness of Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan in question, that’s huge.

Preview: Here are a few key stories to watch at the Women’s World Cup, plus my prediction for #USAvAUS

By, Kyle Gibson

Another summer. Another World Cup.

This one is arguably larger for the United States because the Women’s National Team should always be considered a favorite in the world’s game. With the World Cup finally back on North American soil, the women’s team is trying to return to glory and win its third World Cup trophy (and first in 16 years.)

Things will be tough, though, with the U.S. drawn into a strong group including Sweden (coached by former USWNT beloved boss Pia Sundhage), Nigeria and Australia.

Tonight’s opponent is Australia. Here are my thoughts as the U.S. Looks to take on the Matildas.

1) There is a cloud over the team with the recent ESPN Outside the Lines report on Hope Solo. Solo has been a distraction for years, but remains to be seen as one of the greatest goalkeepers the women’s game has ever produced. Can Solo keep her focus? Can the team rally around her? That will be highly important this evening. Shaky goalkeeping is not a good thing to have at a World Cup.

2) The leaders of the U.S. line, Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan, are not as sharp as in recent tournaments. Wambach turned 35 on June 2 and his been saving herself for this tournament. Morgan has been out due to injury and isn’t starting tonight. The scoring ability these two have shown recently may have been masking a few problems in the team as a whole. It will be vital to get goal production from these two.

3) Finally, a prediction. I think the U.S. will win 2-1. The scorers will be Wambach and Sydney Leroux. Leroux has gained notoriety over the years, but could be a household name by the time this World Cup is over. I think Megan Rapinoe will add an assist. She’s a dynamic player (my favorite on the team) that everyone should watch. She’s a joy.

Stay posted on Tuesday. I’ll break down the game.

New Kicking It Podcast! Summertime Gladness

By, Kyle Gibson

Unlike Lana Del Ray, we at the Kicking It podcast love summer! In this edition, we discuss our favorite activities, as well as our love of Louis Van Gaal’s speaking abilities.

We also discuss the EPL relegation battle, the awesomeness of Sydney Leroux and the #USWNT and we also heap tons of praise of the awesome MLS.

Check us out! Listen via our Buzzsprout page or subscribe via iTunes.