US defeats Japan 5-2 for 3rd Women's World Cup title

Fans in Chicago celebrate the U.S. Women's team victory in the FIFA Women's World Cup 2015. (FOX News/Adam Petlin)

The United States has won its third Women's World Cup title and first since 1999 with a 5-2 victory over Japan on Sunday behind a first-half hat trick by Carli Lloyd.

The Americans became the first country with three women's titles and got a measure of revenge for their loss in the 2011 final against Japan. Abby Wambach and Christie Rampone, the only player remaining from the 1999 title team, both came on as subs late in what's expected to be their final World Cup appearances.

Lloyd scored in the third, sixth and 16th minutes, the last a speculative shot from midfield that beat Japan goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori. Lloyd scored the fastest hat trick in World Cup history, men's or women's, in the highest scoring Women's World Cup final.

"We just made history," Lloyd said. "I was on a mission."

When it was over, Lloyd collapsed to her knees and pumped her fists. Forward Abby Wambach bear-hugged teary-eyed coach Jill Ellis, lifting her off the ground.

Lloyd, voted the Golden Ball as player of the tournament, scored twice in a span of about 135 seconds as the U.S. led 2-0 by the fifth minute.

Lauren Holiday also scored in the first half and Tobin Heath added a goal in the 54th minute after Japan scored an own goal to cut the deficit to 4-2.'

Vice President Joe Biden attended the game after meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephan Harper earlier in the day.

Christie Rampone, the only holdover from the 1999 team, lifted the trophy with Wambach, the 35-year-old former FIFA Player of the Year who lost her regular starting job with age. Wambach was among the most vocal opponents of FIFA's decision to play the tournament on artificial turf.

With FIFA President Sepp Blatter staying away during a U.S. criminal investigation of soccer officials, the trophy was presented by FIFA Senior Vice President Issa Hayatou of Cameroon, the head of African soccer's governing body.

Hope Solo won the Golden Glove as top goalkeeper of the tournament. She played despite critics who urged the U.S. Soccer Federation to drop her after she initially faced two misdemeanor counts of domestic violence from a June 2014 altercation at her half-sister's house, charges that were dismissed on procedural grounds.

The title also vindicated the U.S. Soccer Federation for its decision in April 2014 to fire coach Tom Sermanni, who had replaced Pia Sundhage the previous year, and replace him with Ellis, the British-born American who had been an assistant on the coaching staff.

Japan returned eight starters from the 2011 final, when it beat the U.S. on penalty kicks. The Americans, turning their roster over more, started just four of the 11 players who opened that game in Germany.

The United States went 540 minutes without conceding a goal, the longest streak in the World Cup since Germany went 679 scoreless minutes from 2003-11.

Japan's victory over the United States four years ago its first World Cup title and it came just months after the massive earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan, killing more than 20,000 people and touching off the worst nuclear catastrophe since Chernobyl in 1986.

The United States has a 25-1-6 record against Japan, and a 3-1 advantage in World Cup meetings.

The tournament was been played while FIFA, soccer's international governing body, has been rocked by a widening American corruption probe that alleges bribery and racketeering worth more than $150 million involving high-ranking FIFA officials over a 24-year span.

The Associated Press contributed to this report