サッカーの女子ワールドカップ決勝で、日本女子代表（なでしこジャパン）は１７日（日本時間１８日未明）、ドイツで米国代表と対戦し、延長戦を２―２で終えた後のＰＫ戦の末に米国を破り、初優勝を決めた。
日本は後半３５分に宮間（岡山湯郷）が同点ゴール。延長前半に勝ち越されたが、同後半に沢（神戸）が得点。ＰＫ戦を３―１で制した。
第１回（当時は女子世界選手権）から６大会連続出場の日本は準々決勝で、延長戦の末、ＦＷ丸山桂里奈（千葉）の得点で開催国ドイツを破り、初めて準決勝に進んだ。準決勝ではスウェーデンに３―１で快勝して決勝に進み、２００８年の北京五輪の４位を上回る快挙となった。
GA Note:
Congratulations Japan! How exciting for you (ladies), winning your FIRST EVER World Cup Soccer tournament! You came back TWICE to tie and then WON in the penalty round... Bad attitude from the US team... major sulking after defeat and only one player, Abby Wambach- a classy gal, walked over to the Japanese to shake hands. Well, I know some of you are disappointed we lost, but I'll tell you life in Japan these days is pretty grim, and the symbolism of this win means much more to them than it does to us.
They needed it. And against ALL odds, got it.
Watching them come back twice from the brink made me think this one was meant to be. Congratulations to them.
Yes, a much-needed morale boost for a devastated country. Brava Japan! And brava to Ms. Wambach for grace in defeat.
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