USA vs. Japan: What's Changed Since the 2011 World Cup

The women's soccer bracket at the 2012 London Olympic Games has played out to the delight of fans and network executives alike. 

Thursday's 2:45 p.m. ET kickoff marks the rematch of the 2011 World Cup final.

With two final appearances in two years, it's clear the U.S. and Japan are still on top of the international soccer community. However, some things have changed that may yield a different result in London. 

All World Cup stats taken from FIFA.com. All Olympic stats taken from London2012.com.

Japan's Ability to Control the Game

Over the course of Japan's World Cup campaign, the team dominated possession.

In Japan's 1-0 quarterfinal win over Germany, for example, the eventual winners held the ball for 54 percent of the duration of the match.

Against Sweden in the semifinals, Japan had full control of the game with 60 percent possession en route to a 3-1 victory.

Lastly, in the World Cup final, the team out-possessed the Americans with 53 percent.

However, the team's run in the Olympics has not seem them employ the same style of play. 

Despite being out-possessed 64 percent to 36 by Brazil, Japan managed to advance with a 2-0 victory. The team's semifinal match against France wasn't as one sided, but Japan still ceded 54 percent of possession to Les Bleus.

With possession and control of the game being cornerstones of this team's World Cup success, the noticeable lack thereof should be cause for concern in the gold-medal game. 

Wambach and Morgan

In the 2011 World Cup, the casual soccer viewer was introduced to Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach. 

Over the course of the 2012 Olympic Games, they've become international superstars.

The combo has accounted for eight of America's 14 goals scored, some of which have come in the most crucial situations. 

During the World Cup, the two added six goals to the U.S. total. 

The added international experience for Morgan, only 23, has undoubtedly helped them this time around in London. Her performance on the field speaks for itself.

With her development, the U.S. team has two legitimate scoring threats on the field that must be accounted for. 

More Aggressive U.S. Offense

In the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals of the 2011 World Cup, the American's shot totals were 14, 11 and 27 respectively.

The number of shots on goal was five in each of those matches. 

Looking at the team's Olympic matches against New Zealand and Canada, the U.S. had totals of 22 shots and 18 shots, with seven shots on goal in each of those matches.

Throughout this run at the London Games, the U.S. women have taken more shots and created more legitimate scoring opportunities. 

This is no doubt part of the reason why the Americans have posted 14 goals in five matches in London compared to 13 goals in six matches in Germany.