The United States is facing Japan in the Women's World Cup final Sunday, with the game tied 0-0 after the first 40 minutes.
The United States is outshooting Japan 12-3.
The United States is seeking to become the first three-time champions. The Americans are the No. 1-ranked team in the world and the defending Olympic champions.
The Americans are seeking their first World Cup title since 1999. They also won in 1991.
The Nadeshiko have never beaten the Americans — draws in 2000, 2003 and 2004 are the best they've managed in 25 games — and have been outscored a whopping 77-13. They have three losses this year alone to the U.S., including a pair of 2-0 defeats in warmup games a month before the World Cup began. This also is Japan's first final at a major tournament, having lost to the U.S. in the semifinals at the Beijing Olympics.
But Japan is a far better team than the one the Americans saw in May, having upset pre-tournament favorite Germany in the quarterfinals and Sweden in the semifinals. The Nadeshiko's ball-handling skills are exquisite, drawing comparisons to Barcelona for their lightning quick passes and slick combination play, and they dominate possession as if it's a game of keepaway.
They've shown a nice scoring touch, too, their 10 goals at the World Cup second only to the 11 scored by the U.S. The ageless Homare Sawa has been a marvel, sharing top-scoring honors with Marta with four goals.
Japan also has powerful motivation, knowing it has provided some emotional relief for a nation still reeling from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The team displays a banner reading "To our Friends Around the World — Thank You for Your Support," after every game, and coach Norio Sasaki inspired his players before the quarterfinal by showing them pictures of the devastation.
The United States is outshooting Japan 12-3.
The United States is seeking to become the first three-time champions. The Americans are the No. 1-ranked team in the world and the defending Olympic champions.
The Americans are seeking their first World Cup title since 1999. They also won in 1991.
The Nadeshiko have never beaten the Americans — draws in 2000, 2003 and 2004 are the best they've managed in 25 games — and have been outscored a whopping 77-13. They have three losses this year alone to the U.S., including a pair of 2-0 defeats in warmup games a month before the World Cup began. This also is Japan's first final at a major tournament, having lost to the U.S. in the semifinals at the Beijing Olympics.
But Japan is a far better team than the one the Americans saw in May, having upset pre-tournament favorite Germany in the quarterfinals and Sweden in the semifinals. The Nadeshiko's ball-handling skills are exquisite, drawing comparisons to Barcelona for their lightning quick passes and slick combination play, and they dominate possession as if it's a game of keepaway.
Japan also has powerful motivation, knowing it has provided some emotional relief for a nation still reeling from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The team displays a banner reading "To our Friends Around the World — Thank You for Your Support," after every game, and coach Norio Sasaki inspired his players before the quarterfinal by showing them pictures of the devastation.
