Ayumi Kaihori adds another blunder to World Cup performance
Watching Japanese goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori's futile attempt to stop Carli Lloyd's kick from midfield conjured up another bad memory of an athlete playing in Vancouver.
With the United States up 3-0 by the 15-minute mark in Sunday's Women's World Cup final at BC Place Stadium, Lloyd scored her third goal of the match by catching Kaihori off her line.
In a matter of minutes, Kaihori became the victim of the fastest goal in Women's World Cup history, fastest two goals and fastest hat trick. She allowed five goals in all in a 5-2 loss to the Americans.
Earlier in the tournament, the five-foot-six Kaihori was left red-faced in the final minute of a 2-1 Japan win over the Netherlands when she failed to snare a tame header by Kirsten van de Ven directed into her arms.
The ball squirmed off her right arm and limped into the net.
Thirteen years ago, Dan Cloutier wore the goat horns when Detroit defenceman Nicklas Lidstrom unloaded a 90-foot slapshot that eluded the Canucks goalie to snap a 1-1 tie in Game 3 of the NHL Western Conference quarter-finals in Vancouver.
The goal marked the turning point in the first-round series as Detroit won the game 3-1, overcame a 2-0 series deficit to prevail 4-2 and went on to win the Stanley Cup, with Lidstrom being named playoff MVP.
