Check in for the most up-to-date information on this year's Women's World Cup in Germany. 

Japan remained resilient, and in the end, persistence and patience paid off. After going down by one goal twice, Japan equalized both times, including a goal by Homare Sawa in the 117th minute, sending the game to penalties. In the shootout, Japan made three of its four attempts, while the U.S. converted once, giving Japan the 2-2 (3-1 PK) win over the U.S. and the first country's first-ever World Cup title. In front of a sold-out crowd of 48,817 at FIFA Women's World Cup Stadium in Frankfurt, the U.S. took a 1-0 lead in the 69th minute on a goal by 22-year-old Alex Morgan. The Western New York Flash forward took a long ball played in by Megan Rapinoe, got around her defender, and drove a shot past Japan keeper Ayumi Kaihori. In the 81st minute, Aya Miyama tied the game after blocking a clearance by Ali Krieger six yards from the goal line and striking it past U.S. keeper Hope Solo. The U.S. took a 2-1 lead in the 104th minute when Abby Wambach finished a great cross by Morgan, heading the ball into net. But with three minutes left in extra time, Sawa flicked in a corner kick past Solo, sending the game to a penalty shootout. In the shootout, Shannon Boxx stepped up first for the U.S., but her shot was kicked out by Kaihori, diving to her left. Aya Miyama came up first for Japan and beat Solo to her left. Then, Carli Lloyd hit her shot over the goal before Solo came up with a huge stop on Yuki Nagasato. Tobin Heath went left on her shot, but Kaihori was there to make another diving save. After Mizuho Sakaguchi scored to put Japan ahead, 2-0 on penalties, Wambach got one back for the U.S. But all Japan needed was one more goal, and they got it from Saki Kumagai. She rocketed a shot into the upper left corner of the net.

Our Game's picks

Player of the Match:  Homare Sawa (Japan)

GK of the Match:  Ayumi Kaihori (Japan)

July 17, 2011

From the Outside Looking In
By Ryan Wood

As the most senior member of Our Game Magazine, I should be the one who most remembers the 1999 Women's World Cup Final. After all, it was played right here in my own backyard. Four group stage matches and the China vs. Norway semifinal game were literally a half hour ride from my college. But I never paid attention to women's soccer, not until July 10, 1999. I grew up playing soccer, so I remember watching the 1994 and 1998 Men's World Cup, and 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2010 thereafter. But, in women's soccer, I couldn't name more than one or two players on that 1999 team until they won the '99 World Cup. I knew that Tony DiCicco was the head coach; a couple of the keepers on my team would go down to his camp each year. But as far as who played on his 1999 team, I had no idea prior to that World Cup.

The 1999 U.S. Women's National Team truly put women's soccer on the map. Ask any of today's professional female soccer players in the U.S. and they cite that team and those players as inspiration and giving them the drive and determination to be the next Brandi Chastain, Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly. My interest in women's soccer diminished once the mainstream buzz of the 1999 team wore off. A few of my friends were still playing women's soccer college, so I went to some of their games. It was also the first year I got into sports journalism, and since our other sports writers showed virtually no interest in women's soccer, I was given the assignment to cover high school and college soccer. When the WUSA began a couple years later, I knew it of it, but never went to any games.

The 2003 Women's World Cup rolled around. The quarterfinal match between the U.S. and Norway was again a short trip from home, but it was right around the start of the NFL season, what turned into a Super Bowl season for my hometown New England Patriots. Needless to say, I didn't watch a single match of the 2003 World Cup. I started paying more attention to women's soccer in 2007, catching highlights here and there and watching this new U.S. keeper, Hope Solo, turn in some amazing performances before she left amidst controversy. It wasn't Solo's controversial remarks that kept me interested in the game. It was the style of play in women's soccer, how it was much different from the men's game.

The 2008 Olympics were less than a year away following the 2007 World Cup. I was in Florida during the Olympic Games, but caught every U.S. match. Probably one of the most exciting women's soccer tournaments I'd ever seen, from Marta's magic to Homare Sawa's dangerous presence in the midfield, not to mention the excitement of the pair of 1-0 wins by the U.S., including Carli Lloyd's game-winner against Brazil in the finals. And with the debut of Women's Professional Soccer in 2009, it was the perfect time to start watching the women's game regularly. I covered WPS as a writer for World Soccer Reader and GateHouse Media in both 2009 and 2010 and witnessed some of the world's top athletes, those who I saw in the 2007 World Cup and 2008 Olympics, perform with and against the best of the best. I continue to watch women's soccer matches regularly, in WPS and now in other top leagues around the world - Germany, Sweden, Iceland, France.

Today, when the U.S. faces Japan in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Final, a new crop of women's soccer fans will emerge. For some, this may be their first game. They will witness history and hopefully start paying more attention to what Pelé dubbed, "the beautiful game." One thing is for sure - they won't be disappointed.

Sweden vs. France - Third-Place Match

Marie Hammarstrom picked the perfect time to score her first goal for the Swedish Women's National Team. The 29-year-old midfielder broke a 1-1 tie in the 82nd minute to give Sweden the bronze medal in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. It started with a corner from Therese Sjogran, which was knocked out by the French defense. The ball came up to the top of the box where Hammarstrom maintained possession, took a quick step to her left, and unleashed a rocket into the upper corner of the net. Sweden went ahead, 1-0, in the 29th minute when Lotta Schelin took a long ball played in by Sara Larsson, caught France keeper Berangere Sapowicz well off her line, and flicked the ball off the outside of her right foot into the open goal. France pulled level in the 56th minute on a goal by Elodie Thomas, who was wide open on the left and placed it into the low corner of the near post.

Our Game's picks

Player of the Match:  Sara Larsson (Sweden)

GK of the Match:  Hedvig Lindahl (Sweden)

One of the heroes of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, Ali Krieger, scored the game-winning penalty kick in Sunday's quarterfinal round win over Brazil. In December, we caught up with the defender just moments after the World Cup draw in Germany, which placed the U.S. with Sweden, North Korea, and Colombia in Group C.

Ali Krieger interview with Our Game Magazine, Dec. 6, 2010
“If you see each of the groups, every team is going to be good. You’re playing the best of the best. You’re playing the best in the world,” Krieger said via phone last week from Germany. “Everyone’s catching up. You can’t roll into the tournament and think that you’re automatically going to win it. We know we have to focus on the first game and take every game like it’s our last. I”m actually happy that we’ll be put to the test and that we’ll be challenged.”

Some have already labeled Group C as the Group of Death, others save that distinction for Group A (Germany, France, Canada, Nigeria). Krieger said that no team has an easy ride through the group stage no matter what group it’s in. “You can’t expect to just show up and win,” she said.

Take the U.S. team’s performance at the CONCACAF qualifiers for example. The U.S. lost to Mexico, and then had to beat Italy in a two-leg CONCACAF/UEFA playoff to qualify for the World Cup.

“I think it was one of the best things that could’ve happened to us,” Krieger said, referring to the loss to Mexico. “Our team came closer together. The two games versus Italy made us work hard. This was all very new to us because it was do or die. There was a lot of pressure for us. It was a tough and difficult road we had to take.”

Krieger said there’s already a huge buzz in Germany about the World Cup, which is still more than six months away. She also knows a little about the venues, having played for FFC Frankfurt since 2007.

“The draw was well-done, well-organized, so it’s off to a good start already,” Krieger said. “They’re really passionate about football here. There’s a lot of hype with fans because it’s going to be in a soccer country. I think that it helped that the men’s World Cup was here (in 2006). They have the setup already. And, there’s so much advertising for it. I think there’s already been around 300,000 tickets sold. I can’t wait.”

For the full interview, go here.

I've been following Australia's Matildas throughout their 2011 FIFA World Cup campaign. However, with the team not due to play Norway until the next day, I dropped by the Germany vs. France game in Monchengladbach. Like many, I watched in awe as close to 75,000 packed the Olympic Stadium in Berlin for the host's opening match against Canada. The sight was spectacular; the noise was incredible. With that in my memory, I thought I was well-prepared for the final Group A match.  I was wrong.

There was nothing that could prepare me for what the next two hours would produce. From Monchengladbach central station, I had my first glimpse with a mass of people hurrying to the shuttle buses. One bus was already packed and leaving, while another two were rapidly filling.  Black, red, and yellow were the colours of the night and adorned hats, scarves, shirts, socks, shoes, and an assortment of merchandise. With not much time left, I took a taxi to Borussia Park.

I had taken this route less than a week ago when the Matildas took on Brazil, but this bore little resemblance to what I had traveled last week. The streets were lined with German fans making their way to the game. World Cup flags were flying; apartment windows, balconies, street lamp posts, and houses were proudly displaying their support for Deutschland. 

Then came the stadium itself. German flags were flying with pockets of Les Bleus supporters clapping, chanting, and singing. The sheer wall of sound was intoxicating, and just when I though it couldn't get louder, the German team entered the stadium. For the next 120 minutes, the decible level rose; a mexican wave, Kerstin Garefrekes nodding home the first goal, a foul on their beloved Lira Bajrmaj and the send off. All caused eruptions of noise from the 45,000 sell-out crowd, and this was at a women's football match.

Women's football has been criticised by its detractors for being boring, but they would have little to complain about this match. It was an incredible game that had it all.  Drama, yellow cards, skill, tough tackling, a send off and goals, plenty of goals. We all know that women's football, and women's sport in general, suffers from lack mainstream media attention, and the irony in this match was that players' two teams had players had stripped down to raise awareness of the women's game.  It's arguable that the football on the park is the greatest advertisement that game can have, and this match is a great advert for the game. These moments are the benchmark of our sport, and for us in the game is to ensure that these are the norm and not the exception. And it was exceptional!

July 3, 2011:
The Main Event in Germany
By Olaf Goldbecker

For sure, Germany is one of the leading nations in women’s soccer. Yet despite the successes in the past, women’s soccer has rarely ever gotten major attention. The national players of the year are voted by sports journalists, almost all of them deal with men’s soccer only, and therefore Birgit Prinz - the player with the most famous name - wins title after title. Insiders were joking that she would still get the award 10 years after her career ends if her name isn’t taken off the poll. The World Cup 2011 changed this, for the good and for the bad.

Women’s World Cup 2011 – no newspaper, no radio station, no TV station is not reporting about it. It is the main event in Germany these days. For the first time, sports magazines, which normally spend one of 100 pages each week on the women’s game, published World Cup special editions. In the past months, the national team players were featured wherever possible; the nation hardly had a chance to not know about the event. The German games are having TV ratings like nobody would have dreamed of before. More than 15 million watched the German opener on TV, a new women’s soccer record. A little bit later, the second game against Nigeria even topped this number when 16.4 million watched the game on average. For comparison: both numbers would have been in the top 10 ratings of the men’s World Cup 2010. The last public practice of the German team was watched by 2,000 fans.

While the reception for the games of the own team can somewhat be explained, Germany also proves to be amazed by the other games and therefore shows commitment to women’s soccer as such. All games are aired live on TV and are have very good TV ratings. Also, the attendance in the stadiums is very good. The game between Australia and Equatorial Guinea was watched by more than 15,000 in the attendance, which supported both teams very well and enjoyed the atmosphere.

Of course, many fans of the men’s game still smile at women’s soccer and refuse to get involved in the tournament, but the mass detected this as an advantage. The games are attended by people from 8 to 88. Many are not the typical soccer crowds. Families especially enjoy that they can show the game to their kids without having to fear that they have to explain the meaning of vulgar fan chants or an tendentially aggressive atmosphere.

However, the German national team is also facing the other side of the extensive media coverage and has its problems to deal with it. Lira Bajramaj was designed to be the big star, the face of this World Cup. Technically brilliant, sympathetic, beautiful, with migration background – she had everything you could ask for. Stupidly, after months of promotion, she dropped into a hole and is absolutely out of shape at the World Cup. The media had to realize this and is looking for a new poster girl. Alexandra Popp is a media darling since the U20 World Cup 2010, but is a bench player only, and actually satisfied with this role. When the older players Birgit Prinz and Inka Grings were not scoring in the test games before the World Cup, the media were quickly pushing for the young generation.

When Germany had a rather slow start into the tournament, the players had to face criticism for their performances. This is a part of professional soccer, but public shelter, newspapers, and magazines rating the players publicly for their performances, this is new for many players. Old star Birgit Prinz – former top performer but no media person - started the tournament with two subpar performances and finds herself in the role of the official scapegoat. Never before did the public care so much about women’s soccer that they would even care about who plays. Most of today’s viewers wouldn’t even have known more than 11 players.

The big question will be how the World Cup affects club soccer when the tournament is over. The hardly professional clubs will return to their mostly third rated stadiums with little comfort and hardly any entertainment. The attendance average is between 700 and 800 per game so far. Only the top clubs and the top events draw more. In 2010/11, the attendances per game shifted between 80 and 7,000. For sure, the season start in mid August will draw many new faces to the stadiums, but probably the clubs and the league are not developed enough to keep the attendance attracted to the league. It will be very interesting to see how the general media will keep track with the game. What is certain is that women’s soccer proves its potential these days.

Olaf Goldbecker lives in Germany and has covered the German Bundesliga for Our Game Magazine

June 30, 2011

90 Minutes, 90 Emotions

By Ann Odong

Today I experienced something I have always known - it's not easy being the family and friends of an international footballer. 

The day after my country's (Australia) heartbreaking loss to Brazil, I found myself in beautiful Rhine city of Bochum.  The plan for the afternoon was to interview one or two of the Matildas at their hotel situated next door to the football Stadium. But with many still sore from the game in Monchengladbach and set down to be in recovery, that idea quickly went out the window.  Walking around the stadium, I just so happened to meet three Canadian National Team reserves.  When I mentioned I was thinking about attending the game, they gave me a ticket and ten minutes later I was in. 

Seated in the area of family and friends, the early mood was infectious. Plenty of red and white, maple leafs, face paint and hockey shirts.  Yes, I surely was in Team Canada.  With Karina LeBlanc's parents on one side and Melissa Tancredi's grandparents and her Dad, boasting the "Proud Dad of #14" helmet, on the other side, suddenly I was part of Team Canada. Ready, and willing, to ride the emotions for 90 minutes. 

The first 20 were indicative of the Canada on the pitch - buoyed, hopeful, and full of enthusiasm.  Clapping, chants of "Go Canada, go" and cries of "You can do it" were interspaced with groans and cheers as they rode every tackle, every pass, and every shot. 

Despite Canada's best endeavours, France slowly begin to get on top, and then came the dreaded moment, the first goal just on 24 minutes. It's a sweet header by Gaetane Thiney as she beats out Erin McLeod.  It's been coming, but no one will want to hear that. All they know is that their girls are behind, and the task has been made that much harder. 

There is silence for a minute.  But that's all, although the girls can't hear them, they still have a job to do.  Soon enough the calls begin.  "Let's go girls", "Heads up", "Let's get it back," and as the halftime whistle blows and the scoreline still reads, 1-0, there is plenty of hope. 

"It's only one goal," says one parent.  "We've still got plenty of time," says another, still keeping the faith.  What isn't said is that France has taken complete control of the game with Thiney, Camille Abily, and Lousia Necib running the Canadian team ragged. Sinclair is without support up front while McLeod is keeping them in the game with some brilliant 'keeping work.  

On the hour, that foundation of hope is chipped away again. Again, it's Thiney who does the damage.  This one is harder to take as the captain and heartbeat of the team Christine Sinclair had an opening not moments earlier.  Six minutes later, the damage is done. 3-0. There is no coming back, and they finally know it.  Someone to the left of me has her head in her hands holding a Canadian scarf. I can't tell if she's crying or she just can't bear to watch.

Just when they can't bear anymore, a quick counter sees Elodie Thomis heap more pain.  4-0. She lifts her head and sure enough, eyes are shining with tears.  It wasn't supposed to be like this.  The spirit is broken, but come the final whistle they stand as one, bitterly disappointed but still proud of their girls.

90 minutes, 90 emotions.  Yep, it's not easy being the family and friends of an international footballer, but the family and friends of the Canadian Women's National Team demonstrated how best to do it.