Japan take on the US in the Women’s World Cup final today, bidding to finish the fairytale by lifting the trophy just four months after the earthquake that devastated their country.
The team’s march to the final has been welcomed in a country struggling to recover from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, which ravaged the north-east coast and triggered the Fukushima nuclear crisis.
Despite their flower-inspired nickname Nadeshiko, the Japanese have been the giant-killers at Germany 2011 — they shocked the hosts 1-0 in the quarter-finals and then dominated Sweden 3-1 in the last-four.
They, however, face a formidable challenge in the US, who are bidding for a third World Cup title after their victories in 1991 and 1999.
History is not on Japan’s side. US have never lost to the Japanese in 25 meetings since 1986 but coach Norio Sasaki in confident his team can put an end to the streak.
“It’s not impossible,” he said. “It helped to win against Germany and it proved things like that are possible.
“It has given additional power to the team. This is a once-in-a-life-time chance to beat the number one team in the world.”
The Americans have already beaten Japan three times this year: a win at the Algarve Cup in March was followed by two pre-World Cup warm-up victories on German soil.
After the March disaster, Japan have won over many impartial observers with their slick play, and Sasaki says the goodwill has boosted his team. “All the support from Japanese people worldwide is empowering. It means a lot to us.”
US striker Abby Wambach is hitting form at the right time, but Japan captain Homare Sawa is the lynchpin which fires their attack - something American coach Pia Sundhage knows all too well.
“If you look at her work rate, she finds a way to complete every pass,” said Sundhage. “What impressed me is that she is shorter than I am, but she scores from headers.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 17th, 2011.
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