Women's World Cup 2015: 4 Things to Look for in United States vs. Japan Final

Japan and the United States are set for a winner-take-all rematch in the 2015 Women's World Cup in Vancouver, Canada.

The two teams rose from their respective groups with ease while battling through tough teams in the elimination rounds. While each team's route to the Final wasn't always easy, two of the best teams in the world will play for eternal glory.

Here are four things to watch for during the Women's World Cup Final.

Playmakers off the Bench

One thing that Japan and the United States have in common is the impressive depth of each team. Both teams have players who can make an instant impact, especially late in games, which could be huge if the game moves into extra time.

USA forward Abby Wambach is one of the biggest names on the team’s bench. Wambach scored an impressive goal against Nigeria that helped the U.S. move on to the round of 16.

Japan also has a lot of depth on its bench that has proven to be essential to the team’s run in this year’s Women’s World Cup. The team has used all 23 players in the tournament, and seven different players have scored goals.

Japan substitute Mana Iwabuchi scored the decisive goal in the team’s 1-0 victory over Australia in the quarterfinals.

What makes this matchup so intriguing is how similar these two teams are built. If this Final ends up being a nail-biter, substitutes could play a huge role in deciding the outcome of the game.

U.S. Strikers vs. Japan Defense

The blazing speed for the USWNT provides a lot of problems for opposing defenses. Against a stout defensive team like Japan, this matchup could end up playing a key factor as the game goes on.

Ever since she returned from injury, Morgan has become a difference-maker for the U.S. and has helped ignite a once-dormant U.S. attack. Morgan’s speed and aggressive nature led to Carli Lloyd’s penalty-kick goal against Germany.

Lloyd helped later in the game with an impressive assist to O’Hara to give the U.S. a 2-0 lead over Germany.

Japan’s defense has been arguably the most important component for the team’s run to the championship. The team has won by a single goal in each game it’s played in this year’s World Cup, thanks in part to the team’s aggressive defending.

The one concern for Japan is the uncertainty at goalkeeper. The team has played all three goalkeepers in this World Cup due to the inconsistency of incumbent starter Ayumi Kaihori. As the team goes into its biggest game since the 2011 World Cup Final, it could be interesting to see how the goalkeeper position plays out for Japan.

The pace with which the U.S. attacks could give Japan problems, but the tenacity with which the Japan defense plays could give the U.S. problems as well. This is definitely a big matchup to watch over the course of the game.

Emotional State of Each Squad

Both teams have had tough paths to the World Cup Final, which could play a key role in Sunday’s game.

The U.S. escaped by No. 1 Germany in the semifinals by a score of 2-0. After German forward Celia Sasic missed a go-ahead penalty kick in the 60th minute, the Americans scored back-to-back goals to secure a berth in the Final.

"

GOAL #USA! Alex Morgan is awarded the PK and Carli Lloyd buries it to take the lead! https://t.co/KjMYnKgF10

— Jose Rivera (@notjoserivera) July 1, 2015"

Japan escaped in a thriller by a score of 2-1 against tournament-surprise England. With the score tied at one goal apiece, England defender Laura Bassett attempted to kick away a close attack in the box by Japan that ended up hitting the bottom of the crossbar and into the net. The own goal was the latest in a game Women’s World Cup history.

While Japan was happy to escape with the win over a tough England squad, it is unclear how the team will respond emotionally with another game to play. As we have seen over a wide variety of sports, emotionally drained teams and players can play poorly after a tightly contested game.

The U.S. hasn’t had an easy route to the Final, either. The team escaped close matches against Germany, China and Colombia to make it to the final game. The Americans will also look for revenge against Japan, which could either motivate or distract the team.

In either case, it’ll be interesting to see which team comes out ready from the beginning of the game after a long road to the Final. The team that gains momentum from the beginning could be the one holding the trophy at the end.

Hope Solo vs. Japan Strikers

Hope Solo is arguably the best and most important player on the U.S. Women’s National Team, and her performance in this year’s World Cup has solidified that argument. Solo will face a Japan team that gave her a lot of problems in the 2011 World Cup Final.

Solo and the U.S. haven’t allowed a goal in 513 minutes, the second-most in World Cup history. The team hasn’t allowed a goal since its 3-1 victory over Australia in the group stages.

Solo will more than likely aim most of her attention toward the Japanese attack, including midfielder Aya Miyama and forward Yuki Ogimi. Miyama leads the team with two goals scored in this World Cup, while Ogimi leads the team with 12 shots attempted.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup Twitter page highlighted Solo’s dominance in this year’s World Cup.

Solo will have to be at the top of her game against Japan in order to give the U.S. the best chance to win. If Solo can’t handle the pressure of the Japan attack, it could be a long game for the Americans.

Follow Curtis on Twitter: @CalhounCurtis