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Resurgent USA eye place in history books
After exorcising the ghosts of embarrassing World Cup semi-final exits in 2003 and 2007 with a last-four victory over France, former women’s superpowers USA have the chance to climb back to the sport’s summit this Sunday. Only minnows Japan, who have exceeded all expectations in making the final for the first time in their history, stand in the way of Christie Rampone’s side securing a record-breaking third World Cup triumph.
However, USA’s position as final favourites is one that few outside of their own uber-confident camp could have predicted before the tournament began. The Stars and Stripes were mentioned as contenders, but it was more out of respect for past glories than genuine belief they could hold the trophy aloft in Frankfurt on July 17.
The word ‘crisis’ was used in some quarters to describe the state of the national team prior to the finals as a first ever failure to reach the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup final last year was followed by high-profile defeats to Sweden in January and England in April – their first loss to the Lionesses in 22 years.
USA opened their World Cup campaign in morale-boosting style by seeing off North Korea and Colombia with relative ease. But the rollercoaster restarted with a loss to Sweden in the final group game and they were left with an unenviable quarter-final clash with 2007 runners-up Brazil. Marta ran the show, scoring twice to put the South Americans 2-1 up going into the final seconds of extra-time, but a resilient USA outfit strained every sinew for an equaliser. In the 122nd minute in extra-time, Abby Wambach came up with the goods in dramatic fashion, heading home a leveller to pave the way for a penalty shootout victory. The Washington Post described the goal as an “act of spellbinding theatre” and it may prove to be the defining moment of the tournament.
A sixth straight women’s World Cup semi-final saw the USA come up against a gifted and emerging group of French players. Despite being comprehensively outplayed again, Rampone’s battling side ground out a place in the final – with Wambach once more bagging a crucial strike, the second goal in a 3-1 win. Though not as dominant as their predecessors of the 1990s, who claimed glory in 1991 and 1999, this USA team are nonetheless enthralling and deserving finalists.
As are their shock opponents, Japan. The Asians’ previous best World Cup campaign came in 1995 when USA ruthlessly dispatched them 3-0 in the quarter-finals and they had not made it past the group stage until this year. Like USA, though, they finished this year’s group stage in second place before coming to life in the last eight. The Nadeshiko produced the most unlikely of results as they beat reigning champions, hosts and favourites Germany 1-0 thanks to Karina Maruyama’s extra-time winner.
Their best performance of the tournament so far, though, was the semi-final dismantling of Sweden, a country in which the women’s game is significantly better established than Japan. The 3-1 result was a testament to the superior technical approach of Norio Sasaki’s side, with their intricate pass-and-move style a joy to behold at times.
Ranked fourth in the world, their progress to the semi-finals should perhaps not have been so surprising, but an unspectacular build-up to the tournament suggested they were heading for a similar fate as in four of their past five finals. Japan finished third at last year’s Women’s Asian Cup, behind fellow World Cup qualifiers North Korea and Australia, and have never even won their continental competition. Sasaki also oversaw two draws and two losses in the four matches before this summer’s finals, including two 2-0 reverses to Sunday’s opponents.
But, characterised by controlled passing and patient build-up, and led by captain Horare Sawa, UEFA Women’s Champions League finalist Yuki Nagasato and promising centre-back Saki Kumagai – the Nadeshiko have put Japanese football on the map. It has certainly been an emotional journey for the Asians, and the players have regularly referenced the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan earlier this year as their motivation for success at the tournament.
The underdogs face an uphill task against a USA side boasting world-class players of the ilk of goalkeeper Hope Solo and precocious talents like Alex Morgan but, full of a team spirit and belief to rival even their final opponents, Japan have an incredible and wholly unexpected opportunity to write the final chapter in what has already been a captivating fairytale.
Japan player to watch: Horare Sawa. An inspirational leader and 16-year veteran of the national team, Sawa’s fifth appearance at a World Cup could yield the most glorious moment of her already-distinguished career. A combative and composed presence in midfield, Sawa is also adept at finding the back of the net and is currently leading the race for the World Cup Golden Boot alongside Brazil’s Marta, mainly thanks to a stunning hat-trick in the 4-0 group-stage rout of Mexico. The 32-year-old, who has 79 goals in 171 international matches, also has the advantage of having played against a number of USA’s players during her spells at Denver Diamonds, Atlanta Beat and Washington Freedom.
USA player to watch: Amy Rodriguez. It’s fair to say that Rodriguez – long tipped to be the successor to free-scoring United States legends Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly and Abby Wambach – has hardly set Germany alight with her displays. In fact, she has been substituted in every game so far and has yet to score a goal. However, the pacy Philadelphia Independence striker remains a real threat and has a frightening scoring record against Japan; three goals in three victories over the Asians in 2011 shows she has the beating of their defence and the World Cup final provides her with an opportunity to break her scoring duck in spectacular style.
Key Battle: Saki Kumagai v Abby Wambach. Having shown maturity well beyond her 20 years in keeping Germany’s previously relentless machine at bay in the quarter-finals, Sale Kumagai faces another stiff test in the final against one of the most feared forwards in the game. Wambach has battled back from both a serious Achilles injury and a pre-finals loss of form to answer her critics and cement her status as an icon of the women’s game in the United States with three goals in Germany. Her dramatic headed equaliser against Brazil will go down as one of the most memorable moments the Women’s World Cup has ever seen and Kumagai – giving up four inches on her rival – will have to beware Wambach’s aerial threat.
Trivia: Canada’s 1-0 victory over Mexico in last year’s CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup may prove a good omen for USA as their last World Cup triumph in 1999 came a year after Canada beat Mexico 1-0 in the final of the 1998 continental championship.
Stats: Despite both nations having appeared in all six Women’s World Cups, USA have scored 93 goals to Japan’s 23; the Stars and Stripes netted a remarkable 25 on their way to glory at the first tournament in 1991.
Prediction: A Japan victory would be the biggest shock of a tournament that has already offered plenty of surprises, but it will likely be a game too far for the Asians. USA have both a record to pursue and a point to prove and their greater experience of high-pressure games will give them the edge and help them secure an historic triumph.
Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com
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