1' Japan get the game underway.
2' Very early chance for USA as Cheney outmuscles Iwasimizu and gets in on goal but from a very tight angle on the left, Kaihori makes the save and it goes for a corner
2' The corner is aimed at Wambach but it doesn't quite reach her, Sawa makes the clearance
3' The match is being played at an incredible pace in the opening couple of minutes, unsurprising as adrenaline must be flowing
4' Sawa only needs a second to pick a pass and she slides the ball through towards Ando who was making a run from midfield but the pass was just over-hit and it ran through to Solo
5' Neither team have settled properly yet as they both give away possession in the middle of the field, if either can calm down quicker than the other they could gain an advantage
6' USA finally taking the pace out of the game as they string a few passes together, Lloyd is a calming influence in the middle of midfield
7' Krieger looks for the run of Wambach, she hsn't quite got the pace to get on to it though, scampering after through balls isn't really her strength
8' Another good chance for USA and Cheney as Rapinoe does well on the left wing and gets a cross in to the near post, Cheney tries to flick it towards goal but it just flashes wide
9' The ball breaks to Lloyd from the goal-kick and she finds Wambach who doesn't hesitate to shoot from distance, her shot drops just over the bar though
10' USA have certainly had the better of the opening stages and have already got three decent efforts on goal in, Japan aren't panicking though
11' Another great chance for USA as Lloyd's cross towards Wambach is cut out but it falls back to Lloyd oon the edge of the box, she hits it on the volley and it is just over the bar
12' Crikey another chance for USA, they are all over Japan, Cheney gets to the bye-line and cuts it back to Rapinoe, she was six-yards out but under a bit of pressure and her shot went wide of the near post, probably the best chance so far
13' Japan are just about weathering the storm at the minute, but more due to wastefulness from the Americans, could they live to regret these missed chances?
14' Japan can't get their passing game going at all as USA press them all over the pitch, the longer it remains goalless though the more confident they will become
15' USA seem to have just lost their momentum for now, Japan aren't creating anything of their own for now though
( C̣n tiếp...)
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