2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Team USA Watch-Foiled In Frankfurt

Team USA spent the last two weeks in Germany competing in a World Cup run that was full of highs, lows and featured one incredible comeback for the ages from the brink of World Cup extinction.

But it wasn't enough to beat a Japanese team of destiny that is winging their way back to their homeland with the trophy and their first FIFA world championship.

You can't call it any other way.   The Nadeshiko Japan enroute to the title had never beaten European competition but knocked off the two time defending champions and host Germans, and knocked out Sweden in the semifinal.    Japan had never beaten the USA in 25 matches, including two warm up matches they lost.before the World Cup started .  They finished a title run for the ages by beating the FIFA number one ranked USA women 3-1 on penalty kicks.   

"This is obviously going to hurt for a while," said Abby Wambach in an AP interview.

It definitely will.   Team USA is going to think long and hard for the next four years about the multiple shots and scoring chances that either just missed the goal, hit crossbars or were off target.

They'll ponder being up late in the game twice after scoring goals in the 70th minute and in extra time in the 104th minute only to see Japan come storming back to tie it.      

They will also think about the penalty kick shootout in which until today, Team USA had never missed putting one in the back of the net in their World Cup history.  They opened up this one by missing three straight.

As Herman Edwards once said, that's why you play the games.   Japan was playing for much more than another FIFA world championship.  They were playing for their country, destiny was on their side and they delivered big time.

Congratulations to Japan, the new FIFA Women's World Champions.

As for the Team USA women, at least they have a chance to qualify for the Olympic Games and try to win their third straight Olympic gold medal in London..

2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Team USA Watch-Somebody's Storybook Run Is Going To End

When the FIFA Women's World Cup Tournament kicked off on June 26 in Berlin, the host Germans were heavy favorites to take their third consecutive women's world title.    After getting a favorable group in the World Cup draw, Marta-led Brazil was the other team frequently mentioned by analysts in the world championship favorites role.  .

The FIFA world number one ranked American squad had more questions than answers after being the last team to qualify in addition to some eyebrow raising losses in some friendlies in the run up to the tournament.

The FIFA number four ranked Nadeshiko Japan were coming into this tournament still feeling the effects of the March 11 earthquake and tsumami that impacted their homeland and disrupted their preparations.   But that number four ranking still had them being considered as a team that had the talent to get to the final and tremendous motivation for doing so.

The Germans not only didn't make it, but because this was the European qualifier for the 2012 Olympic Games tournament they are staring at the reality they won't be playing next summer either.  The Brazilians will at least get the chance in London to atone for another loss at the hands of the USA.

When the USA and Japan square off in Frankfurt am Main's Commerzbank Stadium at 1 PM CDT tomorrow afternoon my time you'll have a clash of two teams and two differing football styles on tremendous storybook runs.

Both teams finished second in their respective groups after losing their final group games.  Both pulled off huge wins in the quarterfinal round and both won their semifinal matches by identical 3-1 scores.

Both teams are on a mission to come out on top for different reasons.   The Nadeshiko Japan want to not only win their first title, they want to do so to bring smiles to a country that has gone through much suffering and drama this year.  Team USA wants to not only win their third title, but cap a remarkable never say die Hollywood quality story that has already accomplished their goal of helping them create a legacy that separates them from the 1999 world championship team.

But unfortunately only one team will emerge victorious and be holding up the FIFA World Cup Trophy aloft  at the conclusion of the game.

Who knows, we may even see one or both these teams stories turned into future movies. 

2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Team USA Watch-On To The Championship Match

For the first time since 1999, the Team USA women's footballers will play in the FIFA Women's World Cup championship match.   They earned that trip to Frankfurt am Main by beating France 3-1 in today's semifinal matchup in Monchengladbach.   

Once again they got off to a fast start with an early Lauren Cheney goal in the ninth minute and took a 1-0 lead into halftime.  The French struck back in the 55th minute with the equalizing goal from Sonia Bompastor and outplayed Team USA for most of the match until Abby Wambach's goal in the 79th minute put the USA back on top to stay.   Alex Morgan's goal in the 82nd minute clinched it and the opportunity to win our record setting third FIFA women's world championship.  

Their opponents will be Japan, who knocked off Sweden 3-1 in the other semifinal matchup in Frankfurt.    Sweden scored their first goal courtesy of an uncharacteristic error from Japanese captain Homare Sawa who had a tenth  minute pass get intercepted by Josefine Oqvist.  She raced through the Japanese defense and put it past their keeper Ayumi Kaihori on a lucky deflection for an early 1-0 lead.

In the 17th minute later Nahomi Kawasumi scored the first of her two goals to even the match, and Sawa scored the go ahead goal in the 59th minute and fourth of the tournament to atone for her defensive error.

The Nadeshiko Japan have made a long heartwarming run through this year's FIFA Women's World Cup tournament and have had their shock the world moments as well.

The FIFA number four ranked squad finished second in their group to England, but had never beaten a European team until they knocked off the two time reigning champion Germany 1-0 on Sunday and now have sent Sweden packing to make it to their first ever FIFA Women's World Cup final.

Both teams are on storybook runs.  This USA squad after getting beat in CONCAFAF qualifying play by Canada and Mexico was the last team to qualify for this edition of the Women's World Cup tournament.  They dropped their showdown Group C match against Sweden to finish second, which revived concerns they didn't have what it took to win it all.

They played with 10 women and needed a miracle goal from Abby Wambach in the 122 minute against Brazil to tie their quarterfinal match and send it to penalty kicks.   They've been doing it the hard way, but it has been enough to propel them to the third  championship match in USA team history.

The Nadeshiko Japan are playing to lift the spirits of an entire nation after the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami and is using this tournament as a way to put smiles on the faces of the people back home.

It has fueled their determination to advance as far as they can.  In the process they have gained fans from  around the world hoping to see them win their first FIFA world championship. 

It'll be France and Sweden playing on Saturday in the third place match in Sinsheim.

Both the USA and Japan will have much to play for and it should be a fun one to watch.  We'll see who holds the trophy aloft on Sunday.