Heartbreaking Loss on Sunday

Women's soccer.  The World Cup.  U.S. versus Japan.  Sunday.  Host country ... Germany.

Interesting pre-match tidbit, each team got to this finals match by the same score.  The US in its semifinal beat France 3 to 1.  And the Japanese women in their semifinal against Sweden defeated their rivals by ... likewise ... 3 to 1.

Japan was the German crowd's sentimental favorite (in response to which, I will recall the sage advice of Basil Fawlty ... I won't mention the war.  In which they were allies.  And both got their butts kicked. But I  didn't mention that.)

At the end of the first half, (each half is 45 minutes long) there had been no scoring from either side.  Plenty of action, back and forth and obviously a lot of determination (I speak as a non-expert on soccer but, I submit, something of an expert on determination).

Early in the second half, the US scored.   Alex Morgan specifically, with an assist from Rapinoe.

About 35 minutes into the second half, Japan answered.  What appears to have been a failed attempt at a goal was "cleared" ineffectively, and Aya Miyama swooped in.  This tied the game.  Soon after, there was a chaotic near-scrum where it looked like Japan was about to go ahead 2 to 1.  That didn't happen, though.  1-1 it remained, and that was how regulation time ended.

The overtime period saw the US score early, Abby Wambach heading one in, to make it 2 to 1.  But with just 4 minutes left to play in the OT, Japan scored again, tying it 2 to 2.

Japan then won the game in a heart-breaking penalty-kick shoot out.

Good for them.

US gals:  congrats on a terrific tournament.