Women's World Cup 2015: Global Fixture Details for United States vs. Japan

Tom SunderlandJul 3, 2015

A thrilling 2015 Women's World Cup comes to a close on Sunday, with the United States taking on reigning champions Japan for the right to be crowned champions in Vancouver.

Jill Ellis takes her side into a repeat of the 2011 Women's World Cup final, where Japan claimed a 3-1 penalty-shootout victory to win their first world title in what was their first-ever appearance in a final.

Having defeated England and Germany in their respective semi-finals, both Japan and the USA have overcome fierce competition en route to their Canadian crescendo.

Stars And Stripes Fighting Frankfurt Demons

MONTREAL, QC - JUNE 30: Fans of the United States celebrate after the USA 2-0 victory against Germany in the FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 Semi-Final Match at Olympic Stadium on June 30, 2015 in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Francois Laplante/FreestylePhoto

Francois Laplante/FreestylePhoto/Getty Images

American soccer suffered a sizeable upset on July 17, 2011, when the United States Women's National Team dropped to Japan at Frankfurt's Commerzbank-Arena to lose their first Women's World Cup final.

Almost four years to the day and the USWNT again finds itself pitted against Asia's finest with the same prize at stake, but this time it's Ellis at the helm looking to right the wrongs of that dreaded day.

Victory this Sunday would see the United States etch their name out as the most successful Women's World Cup team in history, distancing themselves from joint-trophy-leaders Germany with a third cup triumph.

This year's competition hasn't all been plain sailing for the Stars and Stripes, but NBC's Jeff Kassouf agreed a 2-0 semi-final win over Germany proved just what a fine tactician Ellis can be:

With history repeating itself, now is as apt a time as any to draw comparison between the two teams of 2011 and those competing in Canada this year.

Not accounting for injury, only four United States players who started in Frankfurt four years ago were also part of the starting XI to beat Germany earlier this week, while Alex Morgan and Tobin Heath were involved from the bench in 2011.

United States	Japan
Hope Solo	Ayumi Kaihori
Ali Krieger	Azusa Iwashimizu
Megan Rapinoe	Saki Kumagai
Carli Lloyd	Aya Sameshima
	Mizuho Sakaguchi
	Shinobu Ohno
	Aya Miyama
	Nahomi Kawasumi

In contrast, Japan coach Norio Sasaki fielded eight players in his starting XI against England, who were also in the triumphant starting team against the USA four years ago.

Sunday's clash will determine exactly which team has profited most from their transition, with Japan relying on a staple of familiar names banded together while the United States look to discover a new breed of winners.

Veterans Versus New Kids On The Block

While Japan may be reigning Women's World Cup champions, it's still worth noting the nation's emergence as a relatively new superpower of the sport, with this year's contest solidifying their status in that regard.

Of course, Sasaki's side are no inexperienced batch. After all, they sit as one of only seven teams to have participated in the finals of each of the seven Women's World Cup tournaments to date.

However, there are few parties as seasoned as the United States, a team who have not only competed in every tournament since 1991, but also placed third or higher in all.

Some have supposed that the 92nd-minute own goal scored by England's Laura Bassett was a gift to the Japanese, with the Daily Mail's Craig Hope among those to suggest Japan perhaps don't deserve a place in the final:

Others have taken a quite opposite approach, however, as ex-United States international Alexi Lalas defends the Asian representatives:

A win for Sasaki's side would make history by not only joining Germany and the USA as the only teams to have won the Women's World Cup on two occasions, but also by tying the Germans as the only sides to have won successive competitions.

A gradual improvement down the years appears to have been met by a meteoric rise in recent years, and Ellis will be fully aware her team take on a rising tide this Sunday.