Just a handful of minutes after Megan Rapinoe finally broke through with the first goal of Sunday’s Women’s World Cup Final, Rose Lavelle showed off some magic in the open field to make it a 2-0 score.
Breaking free in the middle of the field, she charged hard toward Dutch goalie Sari van Veenendaal, Lavelle passed up the chance to pass to a teammate. Instead, she juked her defender and crossed up van Veenendaal with a gorgeous strike into the back right of the net.
It was Lavelle’s third goal of the World Cup, and she nearly had a fourth in the semifinal after one of the most memorable nutmegs we’ve ever seen.
This goal also broke a record for most goals scored in a Women’s World Cup.
A match that had been a defensive showdown throughout the first half, and for much of the second, Rapinoe and Lavelle broke it wide open in favor of the United States Women’s National Team.