Women's World Cup final: United States vs. Japan preview

Someone will taste the sweet nectar of redemption Sunday. What better place to achieve it than the grandest stage the sport has to offer?

Japan and the United States are perennial powers that have met in the final of the last two major international competitions - the 2011 World Cup, won by the former, and the 2012 Olympics, captured by the latter. They'll break their deadlock at BC Place as each side looks to make history by emerging victorious from a thoroughly entertaining 2015 Women's World Cup.

Will Japan become just the second team - after Germany - to triumph in consecutive Women's World Cups (joining the Germans and Americans as the only nations to win the competition twice), or will the United States claim the honor for the first time since 1999, winning a record-breaking third title in the process?

So much at stake, and only 90 minutes (or just a little bit more) to answer those burning questions.

• Related: 3 reasons why the U.S. will win the Women's World Cup
• Related: 3 reasons why Japan will win the Women's World Cup

Here's what you need to know about the 2015 Women's World Cup final.

The Details

Time: 7:00 p.m. (ET)

Venue: BC Place, Vancouver

Television: FOX (U.S. - English), TSN, CTV, RDS (Canada)

Injuries and Suspensions

We're all clear. Best-on-best. This is the way it's supposed to be.

Projected Lineups

United States (4-2-3-1): Solo; Krieger, Johnston, Sauerbrunn, Klingenberg; Brian, Holiday; Heath, Lloyd, Rapinoe; Morgan

Jill Ellis came under heavy fire for her puzzling team selections early in the tournament; playing veterans out of position, leaving some of the team's best players on the bench, and opting for a scheme that was obviously flawed. But the 48-year-old bench boss was bang-on with her lineup against Germany in the semifinal victory (listed above).

For her to stray from that - after it worked incredibly well in shutting down the world's top-ranked team - would be incomprehensible.

Abby Wambach, iconic as she is, belongs on the bench. Carli Lloydneeds to continue playing in the advanced role she's enjoyed in the last two matches, and Morgan Brian should keep her place at the base of the midfield.

Japan (4-4-2): Kaihori; Sameshima, Kumagai, Iwashimizu, Ariyoshi; Miyama, Utsugi, Sakaguchi, Kawasumi; Ogimi, Ohno

Japanese manager Norio Sasaki will likely opt for the same lineup that's come away victorious in the team's last two matches, deploying a traditional 4-4-2 system that morphs into something of a 4-2-2-2 - with outside midfielders Aya Miyama and Nahomi Kawasumi acting almost as additional forwards when in possession.

The only question, though it's unlikely to be answered in the affirmative, is whether Sasaki will insert 22-year-old forward Mana Iwabuchi into the starting lineup. The rising star was electric off the bench against England in the semifinal, her pace and trickery making an otherwise listless Japanese attack look threatening.

Key Matchup: Aya Miyama vs. Ali Kreiger

We suggest keeping your eyes firmly fixed on Japan's left flank throughout the 90 minutes, where the game's most intriguing battle of all will pit diminutive attacking wizard Aya Miyama against Ali Krieger, who's been the model of consistency throughout the tournament.

The Japanese captain leads the team with a pair of goals and as many assists at the competition. She'll once again be the main attacking outlet for the Nadeshiko, operating down the left wing and looking to either create chances for teammates from that position or cut inside and combine with the forwards to craft an opening for herself.

The U.S. cannot let that happen if it hopes to vanquish the ghosts of four years ago, and Krieger will be primarily responsible for shutting down the Japanese mastermind. Though she'll need to be selective in doing so, one way she can limit Miyama's impact is by getting forward herself, forcing the 30-year-old midfielder to drop deep into her own area and help out defensively.

England, the hard-luck loser in its semifinal against Japan, accomplished that through right-back Lucy Bronze, whose forays up the pitch pinned Miyama deep and kept her away from the areas where she's most dangerous.

The Americans will look to do the same through Krieger.

3 Things to Watch

Which team will have more of the ball and dictate play?

Both teams will look to cherish the air-filled Adidas Conext15 - the official ball of the tournament - on Sunday evening in Vancouver, with Japan widely regarded as the best passing team in the game today (though France may be somewhat vexed by that assertion).

A team with unmatched off-the-ball movement - the key to creating passing lanes - Japan is capable of dictating tempo for long stretches and finishing off flowing, intricate moves with stunning goals. Just ask the Netherlands.

But while many expect the U.S. to sit back for long spells and look to hit on the break - where it can use its superior speed and raw physical talent to its advantage - Japanese manager Norio Sasaki made an intriguing comment to the media ahead of the match, suggesting his own team may use those tactics more than we've seen in the tournament thus far.

"The strength of the U.S. team is their power and also their organized way of playing, the structure and the strong desire to win. They are highly motivated," he said. "We don't really have as much power but we have the skills, the technique and the network among the players. Quick switching, quick counters.

"Those are the three strengths that we have and I think we need to keep using these. I think in these three areas we are better."

We could end up getting a glorious managerial chess match.

Can Japan score first once again?

In a sport where so few goals are scored, saying it's vital to get on the board first isn't exactly a revelation. It's an opinion that would make Captain Obvious shed a proud tear.

Nonetheless, Japan's ability to jump ahead early has been a staple of the side's tournament thus far, with the Asian powerhouse scoring six goals within the opening 33 minutes of matches at the competition.

The U.S., though defensively unmatched, has been underwhelming in attack. It can't afford to fall behind early and allow Japan to settle into its possession game - not only a great attacking weapon, it's equally effective as a defensive measure to pass teams into submission and kill off a match.

The Americans are not built to come from behind with a barrage of goals. They're built to keep them out, and - especially early - that's precisely what they have to do to win.

(Genius, I know.)

The balance in the American midfield

This is, without doubt, where the match will be decided.

American captain Carli Lloyd, who wears the armband in Abby Wambach's absence from the starting lineup, has been rejuvenated since being pushed into more of an attacking role, with Morgan Brian offering the perfect shield for a defense that was left hilariously unprotected early in the tournament.

That tactical shift by Ellis is key: it not only allows the veteran captain to get forward and showcase her attacking skills, but it perfectly counteracts Japan's desire to play quick, intricate passes through the centre of the pitch as a means of creating openings in dangerous positions.

With Miyama cutting in from the wing and the strikers dropping off to provide a link to the midfield, Japan's primary method of crafting chances could very well be offset by the United States' defensive system, which clogs the central areas in front of the backline and forces speculative shots from outside the penalty area.

Advantage: USA.

Prediction

The Americans go into the contest as favourites due to their dominant win against Germany and steadily improving play throughout the tournament, which has them peaking at the right moment.

Though Japan's sleek passing game should create some legitimate scoring opportunities, look for the rock-solid U.S. defense to stand firm once again, extending its 513-minute shutout streak and paving the way for a dramatic late winner to seal a record-breaking third Women's World Cup title.

United States 1, Japan 0