Japan can expect a US side at “full throttle” and bent on revenge today as the Asian champions bid to defend their title in the FIFA Women’s World Cup final.
It is to be the third showdown between the two sides in a major championship final.
Nicknamed the Nadeshiko — a pink flower symbolizing grace and beauty — Japan won the 2011 World Cup in dramatic fashion in Frankfurt, Germany.
Photo: AFP
The US, World Cup winners in 1991 and 1999, twice relinquished a one-goal lead before succumbing in a penalty shoot-out, but the US took Olympic gold ahead of Japan in London in 2012.
Both squads include many of the same players who were on the pitch in the 2011 final, including all four scorers. Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach scored for the US, while Homare Sawa and Aya Miyama were on target for Japan.
Carli Lloyd was one of three US players to miss her penalty kick in 2011, but scored both goals in the US’ 2-1 win in the 2012 Olympic final.
“I want to bring everything I have to this game,” said Lloyd, who has been in stunning form in Canada, scoring and setting up another goal in a 2-0 semi-final win over top-ranked Germany. “For me in the final everything is on the line, my foot on the pedal full force. Our confidence is growing, it grew against China and Germany, and now it’s no regrets, full throttle. We know what’s at stake and have to play our best. We’ll be able to weather the storm, we’ve fresh legs and are physically fit.”
The US could also be considered the home favorites with the 53,000-plus crowd at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver largely them.
“We feel like we’re playing in the US,” Lloyd said.
Japan have won all their games so far in Canada by a one-goal margin, while the US were held to a goalless draw by Sweden in a tough Group D.
However, the US have been gaining momentum, with wins over China 1-0 and Germany 2-0, in their past two games, while Japan beat England 2-1 thanks to an own-goal by defender Laura Bassett in their semi-final.
Despite their familiarity, each team expects to see changes.
“They are less of a surprise,” Megan Rapinoe of the US said. “Last time they came out of nowhere.”
“It’s a great testament to both teams that we’ve made it to the the finals of three big tournaments,” US defender Becky Sauerbrunn said. “Japan are very methodical and very technical. The American style is a little bit more individualism in our players. We’ve played them many times since 2011, but their game has changed as well.”
Japan defender Saki Kumagai said revenge would be a factor, but her fourth-ranked side would need more than that to lift them past the world No. 2 team.
“It’s a revenge [match] certainly for both sides because four years ago we had the final in Germany and for us two years ago we lost the final at the Olympics,” Kumagai said. “We want to face the United States with a fresh feeling, but it will be a revenge for sure. The most important thing is that we don’t concede a goal in the first half, that’s the key.”
Another key will be containing Wambach.
“Abby is very tall and powerful, we have to beware of her becoming a pivotal player,” Kumagai said. “We have to be very aggressive from the first touch and as a team.”
The US are bidding to become the first three-time champions, while Japan want to follow in the footsteps of Germany, who won back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2007.
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