Saul: World Cup brings hope to Japan, heartbreak to U.S.

Before the World Cup Final, Norio Sasaki, the outgoing coach of Japan’s women’s soccer team,… Before the World Cup Final, Norio Sasaki, the outgoing coach of Japan’s women’s soccer team, said he hoped the soccer gods would help him overcome the American women. By all accounts, his wish came into fruition.

After regulation and two overtime periods, the 2-2 tie broke when Japan took the penalty shootout 3-1 and left Commerzbank-Arena in Frankfurt, Germany, with its first ever World Cup.

Japan’s destiny seemed certain. It took 25 matches against the United States, but the Japanese women finally conquered the U.S. team.

The timing of this win cannot be understated for a country that experienced so much sorrow and tragedy in recent months. As people, and not just fans, we should hope that their success can bring an uplifting attitude to a disaster-torn region. Perhaps United States goalie Hope Solo said it best:

“I truly believed this was our tournament to win,” Solo told ESPN. “I felt that the entire time. At the same time, I think there is something bigger pulling for Japan. They are the team of the tournament, and if there’s any team that you’re going to lose to, I’d put my hat off to them because they have so much class and they play with so much passion. They fought and they fought.”

For the United States though, it was heartbreaking.

After nearly missing the Cup all together, the team rallied all the way to the quarterfinals, where Abby Wambach’s late-game header tied the match and took Brazil to penalty kicks. When the U.S. came out on top, their momentum carried them past France in the semi-finals and sent them on a crash course for Japan.

People started to believe that this would be the team to bring the Cup back to the States.

Recollections of former World Cup heroes like Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain were abundant. Christie Rampone, who played fantastic this tournament, stood alone as the single member remaining from the 1999 World Cup Championship team.. This was her last World Cup appearance.

In this match, Japan persevered in U.S.-fashion after being outplayed in nearly every minute of the contest. Japan had the invincible superstars with impeccable timing. Japan earned it. Through guts, scrappiness and absolute persistence, the Japanese gained the respect of not just the Americans but any legitimate fan of athletics.

As a fan of the United States, the game turned into 120-plus brutal minutes of missed opportunities punctuated by two picture-perfect finishes from Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach.

The frustrations started with Lauren Cheney, playing at her natural position of striker, who went down with an ankle injury in the first minute. On the play, the 23-year-old Indiana native opted to shoot from the back line instead of cross, took the collision and missed the shot.

It was one of two golden chances she’d miss before her ankle injury forced her out after the first half..

Then it was Carli Lloyd who was off target from a wide-open spot in the middle of the box. Next, the talented Megan Rapinoe struck the post.

Alas, we thought, Abby Wambach would finish the job. But fans’ jaws could only sit on the floor as her beautiful left-footed strike took an unfortunate hit off the crossbar.

And then the first half ended..

Morgan — who, at 22, is the the youngest player on the U.S. squad — had two great chances before finishing with an amazing left-footed top-shelf strike on the far post that gave the United states a 1-0 lead. For 12 minutes, U.S. fans thought it would seal the victory. But then, Sasaki’s soccer gods intervened once again.

During a scramble in front of the box, central defender Rachel Buehler attempted a clear when she kicked the ball directly into teammate Ali Krieger. The play  looked idiotic and impossible and it ended in devastating fashion.

The ball bounced directly into the lap of Japan’s Aya Miyama who, with an easy touch, netted the goal and tied the game, leaving the U.S. team in shock. The match only grew more intense from there.

Wambach, the U.S. team’s version of Reggie Miller, would tie the game with the first extra-time goal in the 104th minuteon a perfect header. Déjà vu, fans thought, but Japan had an answer.

Her name is Homare Sawa, the 32-year-old midfielder whohas long been considered Japan’s finest footballer.

On Sunday night, she appeared in her fifth, and likely final, World Cup. And in the 114th minute, after a perfect corner kick landed on the side of her right foot and found the back of the net, she became Japan’s new hero.

At this moment, the outcome looked gloomy for the American squad. Solo had prefaced that corner kick by hitting the ground with what appeared to be a knee injury. The momentum stayed with the Japanese team, the U.S. goalie entered penalty kicks with an injury andthe team that had dominated the game in its entirety suddenly looked as if its back was against the wall.

After all that, Japan would hoist it’s first ever World Cup and bring new hope to a country in mourning.