Japan’s Cinderella World Cup, U.S. Couldn’t Put Them Away

by lee on 18. Jul, 2011 in Featured

After losing to the U.S. women’s soccer team twice this year already, the Japanese women win when it counted most.

Japan, the underdog Women’s World Cup finalist, showed amazing resiliency in beating the U.S. women in the World Cup Championship, and in getting to the final in the first place.

Every time the U.S. would score, the Japan women would return the favor. When Morgan (U.S.) scored in the 69th min, Miyama scored in the 80th min.

When Wambach (U.S.) scored in the 104th min and everyone, but the Japanese team, thought the game was in the bag, Sawa scored in the 117th min to tie the game and take it into overtime.

The overtime went scoreless for both teams which lead to the shootout. The American’s are usually pretty solid in the shootout and had the edge with the best woman’s goalie in soccer, Hope Solo. After-all it was a shootout that got them to the finals in the first place with the win over Brazil (5-3 pen).

Sunday’s shootout against the team Japan wouldn’t have the same results, as the first three U.S. women (Boxx, Lloyd, Heath) all missed their shots, while two of the first three Japan women made their shots. (Miyama, Sakaquchi).

Abby Wambach gave the U.S. women some hope when she made the first pen for the U.S. women during the shootout, but Kemagai’s goal put ended the shootout and gave the Japanese Women the win.

Japan women knocked off two of the top European teams to get into the final, with their aggressive play and never ending motors (Sweden & Germany).

The U.S. defending Olympic champion women, were hoping to break the 12 year drought of winning the World Cup, but it just wasn’t to be. Nonetheless, it was one of the most exciting World Cup Finals in the history of the game.

images:k.cox/fifa/getty