Soccer Watch

It's been a glorious Women's World Cup thus far, and I'll be shocked if the quality of play drops any in Sunday's final between the United States and Japan, though it may be hard to match the drama of the last few games. Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you've seen or heard the U.S. story: Abby Wambach's stunning header Sunday to tie Brazil in the 122nd minute – extra time of overtime, the latest goal ever scored in any World Cup – after the U.S. had been a woman down for almost an hour. Outspoken diva goalkeeper Hope Solo got her close-up as well, saving two penalty kicks: one cruelly called back for a phantom infraction and one that wound up winning the game in the PK shoot-out. This stuff could not be scripted.

Wambach got the game-winner late in Wednes­day's semifinal as well, on a similarly powerful header, and the Americans eased past France, 3-1. But that final score was certainly flattering for a game France dominated for long stretches, as the U.S. struggled to put two passes together. Japan, on the other hand, has been a revelation, completely frustrating the favored host Germans for 120 minutes in the quarterfinal. Their short-passing, ball-control game will run the U.S. midfield ragged; the U.S. claims to be the fittest team in the tournament, and they'll need every bit of that Sunday to get any sort of ball possession. Can they do that and press their speed and size advantage in attack? Will the U.S. defenders avoid giving up free kicks around the goal area for Japanese sharpshooter Aya Miyama? Is Japan really "the Barcelona of women's fútbol"? Tune in to find out: Sunday, July 17, 1:45pm on ESPN. (The Sweden vs. France third-place game is Saturday, July 16, 10:30am on ESPN2.)

Elsewhere, Mexico won the U-17 World Cup Sunday in front of nearly 100,000 home fans at the Estadio Azteca... The Copa America, the Latin American championship tournament, heads into the knockout stages this weekend, with games on Univision Saturday and Sunday, 2 & 5pm; Tuesday and Wednesday, 7:45pm; and the final Sunday, July 24, 2pm. Mexico, fielding an under-22 team, lost three straight in the group stage.