No way this won't be thrilling: WWC final, USA vs. Japan, live at the Lark

Sunday's Women's World Cup soccer Final between USA and Japan is going to be amazing, thrilling, historic. What do you need to know to get fully swept up in the excitement? A little background never hurts.

Let's start with the home team. USA has long been a superpower in women's soccer. They broke onto the world stage in 1999, when 90,000 people filled the Rose Bowl to watch them beat China for the Cup after a nail-biting penalty kick shootout. Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain became stars, and the game brought huge attention to women's soccer and athletics.

USA hasn't won a World Cup since, but it looks like they're ready. The team bristles with talent. Hope Solo might be the best goalkeeper in the tournament. Star forward Abby Wambach's late-game goal against Brazil last Sunday was the stuff of legend. And they have flourished under the coaching of Swede Pia Sundhage, who Solo says encourages creativity on the field: "She wants us to think for ourselves.... She lets the game come to us.” 

Japan has displayed discipline, savvy and skill throughout the tournament. But there's something more. Before their dramatic win over Germany in the quarterfinals, Coach Norio Sasaki gathered his players and showed them slide-show images of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan’s northeastern coast on March 11, killing more than 15,000 people.

“They touched us deep in our souls,” midfielder Aya Miyama said.

Hope Solo sums it up: “They’re playing for something bigger and better than the game. When you’re playing with so much emotion, that’s hard to play against.”

We'll see how they do on Sunday. Join us. Details here.