Women's World Cup: Pre-game Notes USA vs Japan

The World Cup Women's Final is finally here for the American women.  Set to play Japan today to decide who is truly the best soccer team in the world, the United States team is looking to become the first three-time winner of the World Cup.

Some notes going into the game:

• The United States has never lost to Japan in Women's soccer. Record is 22-0-3 with 77 goals for, and 13 goals against
• The United States has played Japan three times this year already, mostly in friendly games 
• Japan is a team on the upswing; After only scoring only 13 goals in 16 games in their history at the World Cup, this year they have scored 10 goals in five games
• Half of those 10 goals scored by Japan happened in the first 20 minutes of the game
• Many believe Homare Sawa (forward for Japan) will win the Golden Boot as best player in the tournament, but Abby Wambach or Hope Solo might say something about that today
• Other finalists for the Golden Boot playing today include Aya Miyama (Japan), Shinobu Ohno (Japan), Hope Solo (USA), Abby Wambach (USA), and Lauren Cheney (USA).
• The United States is the only team to ever make the semi-finals in every Women's World Cup
• Only four U.S. players have played every minute so far of the World Cup: Solo, Wambach, Cheney, and Rampone
• Goalie Hope Solo's streak of scoreless minutes was ended against Brazil by that re-taken penalty shot. Before then, she had acquired 796 straight scoreless minutes. That was only 47 minutes short of the all-time record for an American goalie, and ranks second all-time.