(Sports)Feature: Women's World Cup final to go down to wire again between Japan, U.S.

Women's World Cup title holders Japan will face off with the United States in Vancouver on Sunday in a repeat of the final in 2011 that saw Japan see off the Americans in a thrilling penalty shootout after extra time.

The final between the two big guns in women's international soccer is being pegged as something of a grudge match as the United States felt hard done by, loosing 3-1 to the Japanese on penalties in the final in Germany four years ago, yet Japan will also be looking to lay some ghosts to rest after being denied by the Americans in the London Olympics two years ago.

The Americans, having been picked in the 'group of death,' have done well to grind out results against some of the bigger teams, having only conceded a single goal and finally topping their group, which included Australia, Nigeria and Sweden, and dispatching Colombia, China and two-time champions Germany in the semi-finals.

The Stars and Stripes have gained in momentum, and while failing to score against a gritty Swedish team, made easy work of the Germans in a 2-0 win, which some pundits felt was the real final of the competition at least according to the teams' world rankings.

But take nothing away from Japan who cruised passed Switzerland, beat an aggressive Cameroonian side and rightly beat Ecuador, albeit by a below-par scoreline, to progress to the knockout stages, where the Netherlands were sent home 2-1 and Australia overcome 1-0, to take 'Nadeshiko Japan' to the semi-finals.

Somewhat fortuitously, in the semi-final against England, a stoppage time own-goal from Laura Bassett gifted Japan a 2-1 victory and place in the finals, a game which many pundits and fans believe will go down to the wire.

"They're two very different footballing teams, with the Americans perhaps relying on physique and the individual skill and prowess of some of their superstars like Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach, who was the 2012 FIFA World Player of the Year and has scored more goals in international football in her career than any other player, male or female," Sid Lloyd, Managing Director of Footy Japan, the largest joint operator of amateur international adult football leagues and children's football academies in Japan, told Xinhua.

"But Japan are a great passing team, with the emphasis on team, who will keep possession of the ball for long periods of time, working it up the pitch and in doing so will wear the Americans down. That said, when the opportunity arises, the likes of Homare Sawa and Aya Miyama are deadly in and around the box and can score scrappy goals from 8-yards after poor defending, or can torment keepers by burying free kicks in top corners," Lloyd said.

Similarly, Nadeshiko fan, coach and referee Rintaro Kitano believes that the pace and tenacity of Japan in defense will be enough to soak up the pressure of America's long-ball game.

"They know they've got a height advantage, so, as with England, if things don't go their way, I think they'll look to pump long balls over the top of Japan's defense and hope that Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan or Megan Rapinoe, depending on where she's playing, can latch on to them and make something happen. This also makes the Americans very dangerous on set pieces, like corners or free kicks," Kitano said.

"But Japan's coach Norio Sasaki is a genius, leading his team from nowhere to win the World Cup and then to become Asian champions and silver medalists in the last Olympics, that's pretty remarkable, seeing as Japan's women's national team, just a few years ago was largely unknown. Now we have players like Shinobu Ohno and Yukari Kinga who have both played at Arsenal FC and Kobe' s Nahomi Kawasumi who is devastating up front and then there's captain Aya Miyama, who has played pro in the U.S., so knows their game really well," Kitano added.

Sasaki has an array of players at his disposal that can cause the Americans a headache, like Bayern Munich ace Mana Iwabuchi who came off the bench in the 87th minute against Australia to score the winner and gritty defenders like Saori Ariyoshi who scored against the Netherlands and, against England, earned a penalty and was judged to be player-of-the-match.

"I wouldn't go as far as to say it's going to be brains against brawn as pound-for-pound Nadeshiko are as tough as they come, but for me this is going to be a game of 90-minutes and what will determine the outcome will be the team that holds possession, works hard to win it back when they lose it, exploits the flanks and are constantly looking to create opportunities," Lloyd said.

"Taking their chances will be key and we've seen both teams squander some tap-ins, but if I had to call it, I think Nadeshiko will edge this one again; they've got better technique and I think psychologically they've got the advantage as America think their toughest game is already behind them in Germany," offered Lloyd, adding that he thought it would be a narrow margin and that the last 10-minutes would be "decisive."

Kitano said that the Americans were on form at the moment and Japan would have to play a defense game at the start and expect the Stars and Stripes to attack from the off.

"But I think it will be 0-0 at halftime and in the second half Nadeshiko will start to move the ball around more fluidly and start to exploit holes in the Americans midfield and defense and attack on mass, defend resolutely and look to hit quickly on the counter attack. I don't think it will be a high scoring game, but I think Sasaki's team are good enough to put one or two past the Americans unanswered," concluded Kitano. Endi