Carli Lloyd scores a record-tying 5 goals in USWNT match vs. Paraguay
Carli Lloyd didn’t waste any time kicking off her retirement tour with a bang.
The United States women’s national team star, in the first of four friendly matches this fall, nearly set a program record in a dominant win over Paraguay on Thursday night.
Lloyd scored a ridiculous five goals — four in the first half — in Team USA's 9-0 victory over Paraguay at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland. That ties the USWNT single-game scoring record.
“She’s an absolute legend, just being on the field, she’s a threat, no matter who we play, when we play, where we play," USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski said, via The Associated Press. “Her mentality is something that’s unseen. She’s just hungry for scoring goals, just hungry to get better, and whether we play for a medal or we play Paraguay, it makes no difference. She wants to score goals.”
Alex Morgan reached the five-goal mark against Thailand in the 2019 World Cup. No player in the history of the team has ever scored six in a match.
WE ARE ALL WITNESSES.
(Did we do that right, Cleveland? 😉) pic.twitter.com/61tQIOAO96— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) September 17, 2021
Lloyd got going right away, too, scoring a goal off a corner kick less than three minutes into the match.
Cleveland ❤️'s @CarliLloyd
and @CarliLloyd ❤️'s scoring
No. 1️⃣2️⃣9️⃣ pic.twitter.com/jPpIIQFU6T— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) September 16, 2021
She cleaned up a second goal just two minutes later.
Goal No. 1️⃣3️⃣0️⃣!@CarliLloyd is now tied with the queen of caps herself -- @KristineLilly -- for 3rd on the #USWNT all-time scoring charts 💥⚽️ pic.twitter.com/G53hquCpjt
— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) September 16, 2021
Lloyd got her hat trick in the 34th minute, the ninth of her career which snapped a tie with Mia Hamm for the most in USWNT history. She then found the net once more in the first half minutes later.
Thanks to Lloyd, and a pair of goals from Andi Sullivan, the USWNT went to the locker room with a massive six-goal lead.
All six (‼️) first half goals in 60 seconds. Feast your eyes 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5djChHQ9oj
— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) September 17, 2021
Lloyd ended her night with one final goal in the 60th minute, expertly bouncing a header off a corner kick in for her fifth of the game.
How lucky are we that after SEVENTEEN YEARS of @CarliLloyd #USWNT magic, she still keeps coming up with history?! 🐐
Goal No. 🖐 of the night for #CL10 pic.twitter.com/3T1qjJONT5— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) September 17, 2021
Lloyd has 133 goals in her international career, the fourth-most behind just Hamm, Abby Wambach and Christine Sinclair (who scored 187 times in her career).
Lloyd, 39, announced last month that she will retire after the NWSL season and a four-game friendly tour with the USWNT this fall. The team has three matches left on that tour, starting with another against Paraguay next week before a pair against South Korea in October.
“I wish I could do it forever, but all good things eventually come to an end and I definitely am for sure retiring,” Lloyd said, via The Associated Press. “I’m not going to come back out of retirement but you know I’m going to be the biggest cheerleader for this team and really excited to see them continue to keep crushing it."