USA confident against Japan in women's W. Cup

MOENCHENGLADBACH, Germany (AFP) - Striker Abby Wambach has said her USA team are prepared to go the distance to beat Japan in Sunday's final of the women's World Cup as the Americans bid to win their third title.

The last time the USA lifted the World Cup was in 1999, but under coach Pia Sundhage they beat Brazil 5-3 in a dramatic quarter-final penalty shoot-out and then saw off France with an impressive 3-1 victory in Wednesday's semi-final.

Japan booked their berth in the Frankfurt final by dominating Sweden to seal a 3-1 win in their semi-final also on Wednesday.

Having scored a dramatic goal in the 122nd minute against Brazil to take last Sunday's quarter-final to penalties, Wambach insists the US can see off Japan with sheer will-power.

"We will approach the game like the last two," said Wambach, who scored her side's second goal against the French.

"Doesn't matter if it's about 90 minutes, 120 minutes or 122 minutes and it doesn't matter who we are playing against.

"A whole nation is behind us and cheering for us. We set the standards for other nations, who try and match us, and therefore invest more in women's football."

While women's football is more popular than the men's game in the United States, Japan come into Sunday's final having also caught their country's imagination.

Women's football fever has gripped Japan, diverting fans from summer staples sumo and baseball, after their side—nicknamed after the Nadeshiko flower—have proved giant-killers with victory over hosts Germany and now Sweden.

Even Prime Minister Naoto Kan is a firm fan of the team.

News of the Nadeshiko's success has brought welcome respite as the country struggles to recover from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, which ravaged the northeast coast and triggered the Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Likewise, the Stars and Stripes are causing a stir on the other side of the Atlantic as they bid to win their first World Cup title for 12 years.

Having won their last title in the previous century, Wambach said the team is desperate to write their own history.

"We want to make a name for ourselves, we want the next generation to follow us," said the 31-year-old.