Women's Olympic Soccer 2012: 5 Best Individual Performances so Far

Women's Olympic soccer completed its second round of matches today. Several teams, like the United States Women's National Team, punched their tickets to the quarterfinals.

After each side has played twice, we are getting a sense of who has come to play and who looks a bit flat.

There have been several athletes that looked fantastic in at least one match, but few who put it together for both.

Brazil, Great Britain and the United States are the only three to win both of their matches thus far at the Olympics. But those are team performances.

Let's gander at the five best individual performances so far at the 2012 Olympics Games.

No. 5: Carli Lloyd, USA

Carli Lloyd did not get the start in the first match against France but was quickly called upon when Shannon Boxx went down with an injury.

And she answered the call.

Lloyd put the USWNT out in front for good when she struck in the second half. The women would go on to win the match 4-2.

With Boxx sidelined, Lloyd was in the starting lineup against an outmatched Colombian squad.

The USWNT controlled the action for the majority of the match and in the 77th minute, Lloyd came through with her second goal of the tournament—the death knell for the Colombians.

Scoring in major international competitions isn't new, but the frequency is. If she can keep this up, it will be hard for others to keep the U.S. from having gold placed around their neck.

No. 4: Steph Houghton, Great Britain

The 24-year-old has made a name for herself in her home nation's Olympic games.

Houghton had the lone, and deciding, goal against New Zealand in the first match.

And in the 3-0 route of Cameroon, Houghton put in the final goal there as well.

Kelly Smith has been the face of Great Britain's women's national team, but Houghton is proving there will be life after Smith.

Next up is a tough match against Brazil. If she can continue her stellar performance against them, she will announce her arrival on the international stage as one of the next young stars to watch.

No. 3: Miho Fukumoto, Japan

The Japanese keeper has been excellent in front of the net.

Japan has had the toughest schedule to date. Battling against potential contenders Canada and Sweden in the first two matches of the Olympics.

Fukumoto has only allowed one goal in those matches.

She kept Sweden off the board in the second match in Group F to preserve the draw. And Sweden had their chances.

The draw kept Japan level with Sweden atop Group F with a much easier matchup against South Africa remaining. Her ability to keep the score low and allow Japan the ability to win tight contests is a major plus as they move forward against some of the more potent offensive attacks in the tournament.

No. 2: Cristiane, Brazil

Marta gets all the attention for Brazil, but it is Cristiane who comes to play during the Olympics.

She burst onto the international scene by scoring five goals in the 2004 Olympics, a tournament high with Germany's Birgit Prinz, and another five in the 2008 Olympics.

When she found the back of the net in the opening 5-0 onslaught against Cameroon, she became the leading all-time Olympic scorer for women's soccer.

In the 86th minute against New Zealand, she added to that total. Cristiane now has 12 goals in the Olympics.

Without question, Marta is one of the world's best, but that only opens up opportunities for one of the all-time best performers at the Games who continues to fly under the radar.

Cristiane is an important piece if Brazil wants to finally don gold.

No. 1: Megan Rapinoe, USA

In 2011, Rapinoe was the go-to substitute to generate a spark for the team. After an outstanding World Cup and her continual performance in the lead-up to the Olympic Games, head coach Pia Sundhage gave her a position in the starting lineup.

In the first 45 minutes of the tournament, she was largely silent. In the second half against France, she made noise. While not netting a goal, she was involved in nearly every major play in some fashion.

Against Colombia, Rapinoe wasted no time. In the 33rd minute, she struck from outside with a marvelous shot to put the U.S. out front 1-0. From there, she continued her near flawless performance in the midfield.

Her vibrant personality and amazing cross against Brazil captured the American hearts at the World Cup in 2011. Now, at the Olympics, she continues to impress and is quickly becoming one of the fan's favorite on the USWNT.

A super-sub no longer, Rapinoe is asserting herself among the very best in the world.