12 July 2009 - A Tip Of The Hat To Cristiane

On 12 July 2009, the Chicago Red Stars beat Gold Pride 3-1 with a hat-trick--the league's first--from Brazilian forward Cristiane.

It was the inaugural season for the USA's new women's league, Women's Professional Soccer. They held a draft the previous year, allowing each team to select four international players. Gold Pride took Brazilian star Formiga with the first pick and Chicago chose Cristiane with the fifth pick (Brazilian players Marta and Daniela went in the third and fourth spots, to Los Angeles and St. Louis, respectively).

League play started on 29 March and Cristiane already had three goals before meeting Gold Pride at Chicago's Toyota Park. Her first goal of the day came via the penalty spot after getting fouled in the 31st minute. She got her second just before the break, taking a pass from Megan Rapinoe and beating keeper Nicole Barnhart.

Gold Pride halved the deficit in the 64th minute with a penalty kick of their own, taken by Tiffeny Milbrett after a Rapinoe foul, but Cristiane restored the 2-goal margin and completed her record hat-trick just seconds later, blasting the ball into the net's top corner.

21 August 2008 - Carli Lloyd's Gold-Medal Goal

On 21 August 2008, the United States women won their third Olympic gold medal, beating Brazil in extra time. 

It was the fourth straight appearance in the gold medal match for the US, who had won it twice before, including a 2-1 extra time win over Brazil in 2004. The two teams had developed a healthy rivalry, intensified by Brazil's 4-0 drubbing of the US in the 2007 World Cup that cost manager Greg Ryan his job. The 2008 Olympics were the first major tournament for his successor, Pia Sundhage. 

Played before a crowd of 51,612 at the Workers Stadium in Beijing, the final was a fluid, attacking affair that nonetheless failed to produce a goal in the first 90 minutes. The best chance of the day fell to Brazilian star Marta in the 72nd minute when she slipped through the US defense and fired from point-blank range. But goalkeeper Hope Solo managed to get a hand on the ball and stopped the shot. 

Then, in the 96th minute, a charging Carli Lloyd (pictured) passed the ball to Amy Rodriguez, who quickly returned the ball. Lloyd drove a shot in from just outside the box, crossing the face of the goal and beating Brazil's keeper, Barbara. 

Brazil pressed hard for an equalizer, with both Marta and Cristiane creating chances, but the US defense held firm to preserve the 1-0 victory. 

12 August 2008 - Setting Records At Record Speed

On 12 August 2008, Brazilian forward Cristiane and US forward Heather O'Reilly both turned in record-setting performances in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

It was the last day of the group stages in the women's football competition. Brazil faced Nigeria and went down 0-1 to a 19th-minute penalty strike before Cristiane turned the match around. She scored the equalizer in 34th minute, then added a second in the 35th minute and a third in the third minute of first-half injury time (45'+3) to complete the fastest hat-trick in the history of women's Olympic football. The final score of 3-1 sent Brazil to the top of their qualifying group and into the knockout rounds.

Later that day, the US were playing New Zealand when O'Reilly scored 41 seconds into the match - the fastest goal in the history of women's Olympic football. The US won 4-0 to finish at the top of their qualifying group.

Brazil and the United States met in the Final, where the US side claimed a 1-0 win.

12 July 2009 - A Tip Of The Hat To Cristiane

On 12 July 2009, the Chicago Red Stars beat Gold Pride 3-1 with a hat-trick--the league's first--from Brazilian forward Cristiane.

It was the inaugural season for the USA's new women's league, Women's Professional Soccer. They held a draft the previous year, allowing each team to select four international players. Gold Pride took Brazilian star Formiga with the first pick and Chicago chose Cristiane with the fifth pick (Brazilian players Marta and Daniela went in the third and fourth spots, to Los Angeles and St. Louis, respectively).

League play started on 29 March and Cristiane already had three goals before meeting Gold Pride at Chicago's Toyota Park. Her first goal of the day came via the penalty spot after getting fouled in the 31st minute. She got her second just before the break, taking a pass from Megan Rapinoe and beating keeper Nicole Barnhart.

Gold Pride halved the deficit in the 64th minute with a penalty kick of their own, taken by Tiffeny Milbrett after a Rapinoe foul, but Cristiane restored the 2-goal margin and completed her record hat-trick just seconds later, blasting the ball into the net's top corner.

21 August 2008 - Carli Lloyd's Gold-Medal Goal

On 21 August 2008, the United States women won their third Olympic gold medal, beating Brazil in extra time.

It was the fourth straight appearance in the gold medal match for the US, who had won it twice before, including a 2-1 extra time win over Brazil in 2004. The two teams had developed a healthy rivalry, intensified by Brazil's 4-0 drubbing of the US in the 2007 World Cup that cost manager Greg Ryan his job. The 2008 Olympics were the first major tournament for his successor, Pia Sundhage.

Played before a crowd of 51,612 at the Workers Stadium in Beijing, the final was a fluid, attacking affair that nonetheless failed to produce a goal in the first 90 minutes. The best chance of the day fell to Brazilian star Marta in the 72nd minute when she slipped through the US defense and fired from point-blank range. But goalkeeper Hope Solo managed to get a hand on the ball and stopped the shot.

Then, in the 96th minute, a charging Carli Lloyd (pictured) passed the ball to Amy Rodriguez, who quickly returned the ball. Lloyd drove a shot in from just outside the box, crossing the face of the goal and beating Brazil's keeper, Barbara.

Brazil pressed hard for an equalizer, with both Marta and Cristiane creating chances, but the US defense held firm to preserve the 1-0 victory.

12 August 2008 - Setting Records At Record Speed

On 12 August 2008, Brazilian forward Cristiane and US forward Heather O'Reilly both turned in record-setting performances in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

It was the last day of the group stages in the women's football competition. Brazil faced Nigeria and went down 0-1 to a 19th-minute penalty strike before Cristiane turned the match around. She scored the equalizer in 34th minute, then added a second in the 35th minute and a third in the third minute of first-half injury time (45'+3) to complete the fastest hat-trick in the history of women's Olympic football. The final score of 3-1 sent Brazil to the top of their qualifying group and into the knockout rounds.

Later that day, the US were playing New Zealand when O'Reilly scored 41 seconds into the match - the fastest goal in the history of women's Olympic football. The US won 4-0 to finish at the top of their qualifying group.

Brazil and the United States met in the Final, where the US side claimed a 1-0 win.