These U.S. players should want World Cup revenge the most against Japan
The United States' run to the Women's World Cup final has deservingly captured the attention and fascination of a nation that's becoming accustomed to summertime soccer madness around national team success. The rollercoaster ride of Jill Ellis' once-underachieving, now-dominating side in Canada has likely attracted new fans, who might be wondering what this revenge talk is all about in the lead-up to Sunday's showdown with defending champion Japan.
Well newbies, you can see for yourself with the video below of the 2011 World Cup final against Japan in Germany. Basically, it was the Americans' biggest nightmare as they took the lead twice and lost it both times before suffering a painful ‐ and somewhat embarrassing – penalty shootout loss that saw them miss their first three spot kicks.
Fourteen of Ellis' 23-woman squad, including all but two of the USA's starting XI against Japan four years ago, have come back to right the wrongs in Frankfurt. But who among those 14 should want revenge the most? Which of the Americans has the biggest reason to "settle the score"?
These Payback Power Rankings should help explain who on the American side wants to hoist the World Cup trophy the most.
No. 5 – Carli Lloyd. After Shannon Boxx had the first U.S. penalty turned away by goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori's kick save, Lloyd confidently marched to the spot to take the second PK. Wasting no time, she ran up and blasted her shot straight down the middle but badly missed the net as the ball sailed well over the crossbar. For a player known for being clutch, she was shockingly far from it. "Those moments, the big moments, yes, that's what I live for," Lloyd said during the media crush before Sunday's final. "I want to have no regrets after this game is done."
No. 4 – Tobin Heath. Hope Solo's clutch save on Yuki Nagasato kept the U.S. down only 1-0 after two rounds in the shootout. Heath, who came on to replace Megan Rapinoe in the 114th minute, had the chance to get the Americans level, but she meekly sent her penalty to the left with little pace, allowing Kaihori to make the easy save. Said Heath, two weeks after the loss: "Any moment like that in any soccer player's career will stay with you."
No. 3 – Ali Krieger. The first of Japan's tying goals came in the 81st minute after a giveaway by Christie Rampone in the Americans' half allowed the Japanese to put a cross into the box that Rachel Buehler struggled to clear. Krieger had a fraction of a second to erase these mistakes, as Buehler's desperation clearance attempt – a swing of her right leg while laying on the ground – directed the ball with pace at her fellow defender. Krieger could only make a reflex attempt with her left foot, putting the ball straight into the path of an oncoming Aya Miyama. The Japanese midfielder beat Solo with a point-blank finish. "I wasn't expecting what happened," Krieger said after the game. "I just got caught off guard."
No. 2 – Hope Solo The star goalkeeper might have bigger regrets, but she expressed second thoughts about the gamesmanship she decided not to play against Japan. After colliding with Yukari Kinga late in extra time, Solo felt pain in her knee but chose not to engage in time-wasting tactics by feigning a more serious injury in order to draw the U.S. closer to the final whistle. Moments later, Japan's Homare Sawa stunned the Americans with a 117th-minute equalizer to send them to their penalty-shootout fate. "I wanted to get up. I didn't want to win that way," Solo said at the time. "But I wonder now if I did the right thing."
No. 1 – Abby Wambach. The 2011 final in Frankfurt was following a Hollywood script for Wambach, who delivered the go-ahead goal in the 104th minute. Scored with a trademark header, that highlight could've been the fitting ending to her remarkable career. Instead, the memory of her most painful defeat drove Wambach, at age 35, to keep chasing the one thing missing on her resume – a World Cup title. The collapse against Japan stings so much for Wambach that she can recall the date of the match: July 17, 2011. Asked before the tournament if she needed a world championship to cement her legacy, Wambach replied, "Damn right I need it."
Truth is, the U.S. doesn't need any extra motivation to beat Japan on Sunday. Nothing in the women's game tops a World Cup final, not even the Olympic gold medal game. It's the pinnacle and winning a world championship is the ultimate achievement. But for Lloyd, Heath, Krieger, Solo and Wambach, extra incentive exists if they need it and care to draw on it.
"I can't be happier for this team to be in another final. It's an achievement of itself," Wambach said Friday. "But we still have to win. We haven't won anything yet. We know what that feels like four years ago, and it's not a good feeling."
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