Monday, June 17, 2002

Best Goal - Women's National Teams


Best thing in soccer? That’s easy: goals. This award crowns the top strike by a player from the U.S. Women’s National Teams during the past year.

Click the 'Vote' button below to launch the video player and vote. All the goals are part of one continuous video.


THE FINALISTS:

Lori Chalupny vs. China – Jan.30 @ Guangzhou, China
Needing a victory to win the Four Nations tournament, LORI CHALUPNY runs onto a ball near the right side of the penalty box, takes a touch to her right to elude a defender and rips a 26-yard thunderbolt into the upper right corner past the flying Chinese ‘keeper.

Kristine Lilly vs. Mexico – April 14 @ Foxborough
KRISTINE LILLY uses a nice bounce off the artificial turf at Gillette Stadium to fire a left-footed half-volley from 32 yards out that loops over 'keeper and just under the crossbar.

Lindsay Tarpley vs. Canada – May 12 @ Frisco
LINDSAY TARPLEY darts towards the goal box to beat a pulled up Canada back line, and the onrushing goalkeeper, to re-direct her first-time volley just inside the right post from six yards away.

Kristine Lilly vs. Canada – May 12 @ Frisco
Abby Wambach heads a long throw-in down the right wing to Carli Lloyd who beats a Canadian defender, then drives to the end line before cutting a perfect pass back into the path of KRISTINE LILLY, who smacks her first-time left-footed shot hard into the near post from eight yards out.

Abby Wambach vs. China – June 16 @ Cleveland
ABBY WAMBACH meets Stephanie Lopez’ corner kick from the left side with a diving header from seven yards out, skipping the ball just inside the right post.

Kristine Lilly vs. Brazil – June 23 @ The Swamp
Just seconds into the match, KRISTINE LILLY soars a free kick from a tough angle just outside the penalty area on the right side, dipping it over the Brazilian goalkeeper and sticking it into the side-netting at the left corner.

Carli Lloyd vs. Norway – July 14 @ East Hartford
In one of the toughest tests for the U.S. before the World Cup, CARLI LLOYD scores one of the biggest goals of her career against Norway. Showing her athletic ability, Lloyd finished off a diving header from close range in the second half to give the U.S. a 1-0 victory.

Carli Lloyd vs. New Zealand – Aug. 12 @ Chicago
CARLI LLOYD scores from almost 40 yards out, befuddling the Kiwi ‘keeper with a left-footed rocket that dances its way into the upper left corner after skipping off the goalkeeper’s hands.

Heather O’Reilly vs. North Korea -- Sept. 11 @ Chengdu, China
HEATHER O’REILLY finds herself in position to strike a loose ball in the penalty box and drills it on a line into the absolute upper right corner from a sharp angle to tie the match.

Abby Wambach vs. Sweden – Sept. 14 @ Chengdu
ABBY WAMBACH takes a Kristine Lilly pass down off her chest between two defenders at the top of the penalty box before ripping a blistering half-volley into the left side of the net, giving the Swedish goalkeeper no chance.