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| Japan's goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori celebrates saving a penalty during the FIFA Women's Football World Cup final match Japan vs USA on July 17, 2011 in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany. AFP PHOTO / CHRISTOF STACHE |
The FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011 came to an end with Japan beating USA in penalty kicks.
Japan became World Cup champions in Frankfurt, Germany July 17. It was Japan’s first appearance in the Final, who beat the two-time world champions in penalty kicks.
The close game was definitely no relaxing Sunday match– fans were kept on their toes throughout the entire match as the two teams went goal for goal.
By the 70th minute, Alex Morgan, the youngest on USA team, made the first goal. The crowed roared, “Go USA.” But by the 80th minute, Japan’s Aya Miyama tied up the score with a goal. The crowd went wild once again, this time with cheers of, ”Nippon.”
The game went into extra time during which, United States player, Abby Wambach brought USA ahead once again as she got a serve from Morgan and hit it in with her head. No sooner did the Japanese prove that patience is no weakness– by the 114th minute, Sawa put a ball through for Kinga, tying up the score once again. The game got heated by the 120th minute when Azusa Iwashimizu took down Alex Morgan from behind resulting in the first red card drawn.
5:15 p.m. EST brought penalty kicks. Miyama got one passed USA goalie Hope Solo, putting Japan ahead. No sooner does Sakaguchi score to put Japan up 2-0. Wambach manages to score a penalty kick to keep USA in the game but only for a moment– Kumagai kicks it in to allow Japan to become World Cup champions.
Pia Sundhage, coach of USA was asked to explain the three missed penalty kicks, she said, ”You don’t, you can’t.” Abby Wambach of USA said of the game, ”Evidently it wasn’t meant to be.” She added of Japan’s win,” I think their country is very proud of them.”
The game followed USA defeating France, while Japanese defeated Sweden– Both losing teams played each other in third-place game July 16, with Sweden ending victorious.
Source: Long Island Press
