Rising sun: Japan, a nation that is a sentimental favorite of many soccer fans because of the recent disasters the nation has endured and a former lightweight in the sport, is now a legitimate World Cup contender displacing such former powers as China (AP Photo).

Associated Press National Writer Nancy Armour explores the new world of international women’s soccer that can be summed up in one word – parity:

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — It wasn’t long ago that you could predict the lineup for the final four at the Women’s World Cup even before the tournament began.

The Americans were a given. The Germans, too. Brazil’s been there to the bitter end in recent years, and Sweden or Norway were never a bad bet. This year? Not many predicted Japan playing in its first final and France making the semis.

“It’s amazing to see a team like France, a team like Japan in the final. Germany knocked out. Brazil knocked out,” U.S. midfielder Megan Rapinoe said Thursday. “It’s amazing to have that (parity) — and that we are still right there, at the top.”

Yes, the Americans are the lone constant in this topsy-turvy tournament.

The world’s top-ranked team, the U.S. is trying to become the first country to win three World Cup titles when it faces Japan on Sunday. This may be the Americans’ first appearance in the final since 1999, the last time they won it all, but they’ve won two Olympic gold medals in the interim and had a two year-plus winning streak going until November.

“It is a great opportunity for us,” Japan coach Norio Sasaki said after the Nadeshiko beat
Sweden 3-1 in the semifinals, their second big upset of the tournament. “It is going to be a huge opportunity for us and a big platform.”

For all of women’s football, really.

Back when Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Michelle Akers, and Kristine Lilly spearheaded the U.S., the World Cup often wasn’t a fair fight. Some of the scores in the group stage were laughable, and the gap between the elite and the second tier was more like a chasm. In the first World Cup, in 1991, the Americans routed Taiwan (7-0) and Brazil (5-0) while Sweden romped to an 8-0 win over Japan.

Four years later, eventual champion Norway won one game 7-0 (Canada) and another 8-0 (Nigeria). Even four years ago, Germany gave an 11-0 thrashing of Argentina.

But unlike softball or women’s ice hockey, where the rest of the world has failed to keep pace with the one or two dominant teams or had no interest in doing so, countries all over the world have been pouring money and resources into their women’s football teams. The results could be seen clearly in Germany as, slowly but surely, the gap between good and great narrows.

There were few routs in the tournament, the 4-0 wins by Japan over Mexico and France over Canada the most lopsided of the matches. There were 19 draws or one-goal victories in the first 30 games, and the scoring average is down to just 2.63 per game from 3.81 in 1991 and ’95.

“France is obviously a bit of a surprise but, when we played them, we gave them a lot of
respect in the locker room,” said Abby Wambach, whose header in the 79th minute broke what had been a tense tie with France, which reached the semifinals in its second World Cup appearance.

“All of us were talking about what pretty soccer they played, how exciting it was to watch
their front four or five players. Not that we want to play like anybody else, but it was
exciting to see.

“This game has come a long way, a long way since ’99.”

And should continue to do so.

Colombia and Equatorial Guinea made their World Cup debuts in Germany. Though each exited after the first round, neither embarrassed themselves. The Americans had to win a playoff just to get a spot in Germany after being humbled by Mexico in qualifying, El Tri’s first victory over its neighbor to the north in 25 tries.

“Sometimes, it’s frustrating for us. If we don’t smash every team or win every game, it’s
like, ‘What’s wrong with U.S. Soccer? What’s wrong with the women’s side?'” Rapinoe said. “We see it as a good thing. I don’t want to beat every team five-nil. I would rather lose a few games and have the games be much more equal.”

At least the Americans made it to Germany.

China, a traditional powerhouse, failed to qualify for this World Cup. Italy, one of Europe’s strongest teams, went undefeated in winning its qualifying group and it still wasn’t good enough to get the Azzurre a trip to Germany. As for the Germans, not only did they bow out in the quarterfinals here, they won’t be going to next summer’s London Olympics.

Sweden, the 2000 Olympic gold medalist, got one of UEFA’s two spots. The other went to France, which has never appeared in an Olympic Games.

“The growth of soccer has been amazing,” said U.S. captain Christie Rampone, the lone holdover from the 1999 squad. “It’s just amazing to see Japan in the final and the growth of soccer and support behind it. All these teams putting more effort and time and training. … All these games are tight. You can see the pressure’s out there. There’s great goalkeepers, great attacking players, great defense.

“You don’t see blowouts,” she added, “which is great for the sport.”

Fit to be champions? The U.S. team stays limber on the eve of the Women’s World Cup semifinal showdown Wednesday against France (AP Photo).

The game kicks off at 9 a.m. Wednesday on ESPN and is preceded by a 30-minute pre-game show.

Incidentally, ESPN said today that the U.S.-Brazil quarterfinal was seen by 3.89 million viewers, making it the third most-viewed Women’s World Cup match ever in the U.S.

Associated Press National Writer Nancy Armour has the preview of a game and team that has caught the imagination of the American public:

MOENCHENGLADBACH, Germany (AP) — The Americans feel just fine, thank you, not tired a bit. The high they were on after that epic Brazil game? That’s so yesterday.

The U.S. women are one game away from reaching their first World Cup final since 1999 — the last time they won soccer’s biggest prize — and the only thing on their minds now is beating France.

“Losing is not an option,” Abby Wambach said Tuesday. “We want to win this thing, and France is standing in our way right now.”

The Americans are the top-ranked team in the world and defending Olympic gold medalists, yet they were almost afterthoughts when the tournament began two weeks ago. Two-time defending champion Germany was considered the heavy favorite, sure to get a boost playing on home soil. Then there was Brazil, runner-up at the last three major tournaments and led by Marta, FIFA’s player of the year five years running.

And the U.S.? They had to win a playoff with Italy just to get here, and they’d been
uncharacteristically inconsistent with three losses in a five-month span.

But the Germans are now spectators, stunned by Japan in the quarterfinals. Brazil is gone, too, losing to the Americans in a penalty shootout in one of the most exciting games ever at the World Cup, men’s or women’s. And the U.S.? They’re still playing, and they go into Wednesday night’s semifinal with more than a touch of swagger.

“We have what it takes,” Wambach said. “It’s just a matter of putting it all together.”

The biggest uncertainty for the Americans isn’t their fitness, it’s their backline. Rachel
Buehler has started all but one game the last two years, and her bruising style of defense — she isn’t called the “Buehldozer” for nothing — has been vital. But she’s suspended for the semifinal after getting a red card for taking down Marta in the box in the 65th minute Sunday.

While U.S. coach Pia Sundhage wouldn’t say who will play in Buehler’s place, Becky Sauerbrunn was working with the starters during training Tuesday.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to play with her (with the WPS’ magicJack) so we’re very connected that way,” said Christie Rampone, the U.S. captain and its other central defender. “Becky and I feel confident together. We’ll watch some film on France today, see what little tactics they have, what little tendencies they have with their forwards, communicate with each other and we’ll be fine.”

Solo star: A determined U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo, one of the stars of the American victory over Brazil, trains Tuesday in Germany.

They will have to be because, much like Brazil, France has creativity and flair.

Playmaker Louisa Necib, she of the silken touch and deft passes, has been likened to Zinedine Zidane, the highest compliment a French player can get. Her control of the midfield is masterful, the driving force behind France’s quick, fluid offense. Les Bleues often appear seamless — no surprise considering 10 of the 21 players are teammates at Olympique Lyonnais, which won this year’s women’s Champions League final.

“For us, it’s very important to be patient,” Sundhage said. “We need to pick up the rhythm and dictate the tempo, and we need the midfield to get more involved. I don’t want to make it a stretch game. Or make it a (physical) fight.”

But France has struggled against bigger, more physical teams in the past, and they don’t come much stronger than the Americans.

“It’s true we’ve had one additional day” of rest, French coach Bruno Bini said. “I think it’s
quite fair because the American team is in better shape.”

While the Americans have their quickest turnaround of the tournament, getting just two days rest between games, France hasn’t played since Saturday. But Les Bleues had an emotional doozy, too, beating England 4-3 on penalties after scoring in the 88th minute to tie it 1-1.

“It’s very easy after a victory to be in shape again, especially when you’ve already seen
yourself packing to go home,” Bini said. “After that, it is very easy to get highly motivated
for this match.”

Unlike the Americans, who have reached the semifinals at each of the six World Cups, this is the first trip for Les Bleues. And they have never beaten the Americans, going 0-11-1 in their previous meetings. The U.S. has scored 38 goals in the 12 games to just eight for France.

Of course, Mexico had never beaten the Americans, either, and look what happened in regional qualifying.

But the “bumpy road,” as Sundhage likes to call it, has made the Americans stronger, their success even sweeter. Their grit and determination is one of the reasons they’ve become such a huge hit back home, with Hollywood celebrities, professional athletes and folks who’ve never seen a soccer game before all rallying behind them.

Should the U.S. beat France, it would face either Japan or Sweden in Sunday’s final, with a chance to become the first team to win three World Cup titles.

“I always think it’s important for a team to go through adversity. Then you realize how much it hurts,” said Torrance’s Shannon Boxx (South High). “We watched some of the games day before (Brazil). You saw the faces of the teams that didn’t win and you don’t want to feel that way. I think that’s a huge motivator right there.”