Women's Soccer Team Gets a Lot More Subdued

Carli Lloyd scored a pair of goals for the US in a somewhat subdued 3-0 victory over Chile that advanced the defending Women's World Cup champions to the round of 16, the AP reports. The Americans were criticized after their record-breaking 13-0 rout of Thailand when players celebrated goals even after the victory was well in hand. They were noticeably more muted in this one, and all three goals were in the first half. Lloyd earned the start after coming off the bench in the opener, and in the 11th minute became the first player to score in six straight World Cup matches. She added another on a header off a corner in the 35th minute for her 10th career World Cup goal, which moved her into third on the all-time US list behind Abby Wambach (14) and Michelle Akers (12).

The score could have been worse for Chile without unshakable goalkeeper Christiane Endler, who finished with six saves and fended off a flurry of US shots in the second half. "I think we would have definitely had a couple more in there if she had not come up with those big saves," Lloyd said. The Americans were blasted after their tournament-opening victory for the lopsided score, and overenthusiastic celebration, and the controversy clouded the run-up to Sunday's game. Several of the American players reached out to their Thai counterparts following the match. Lloyd exchanged encouraging words and tweets with goalkeeper Sukanya Chor Charoenying, and FIFA posted an interview with Thailand's coach thanking the US players for being professional and playing well.

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