Shinobu Ohno gave Japan the lead in the 17th minute, but Angela Hucles (41st) and Lori Chalupny (44th) scored in the final four minutes of the first half to give the USA a 2:1 advantage.
The Stars & Stripes later increased the lead with goals from Heather O'Reilly and Hucles in the 71st and 81st minutes, respectively. Eriko Arakawa scored three minutes into stoppage time for Japan but the USA held on for the victory.
The two-time Olympic Gold Medal Winners (1996, 2004) USA will now face Brazil, who defeated Germany 4:1 in the other semifinal, for the gold medal at the Worker's Stadium in Beijing on 21 August.
This is a rematch from the 2004 Olympic Games Final in Athens, where the Stars & Stripes won by a score of 2:1. Both teams met again in the semifinals of the FIFA Women's World Cup China 2007, but it was the Samba Queens winning 4:0.
OLYMPIC GAMES BEIJING 2008
Women's Football Tournament
Semifinals
18.08: Worker's Stadium; Beijing (A: 50937)
JAPAN - USA 2:4 (1:2)
Shinobu OHNO 17'; Eriko ARAKAWA 90'+ - Angela HUCLES 41', 81'; Lori CHALUPNY 44'; Heather O'REILLY 71'
JPN: Miho Fukumoto - Yukari Kinga, Hiromi Ikeda-C, Azusa Iwashimizu, Kozue Ando (56: Ayumi Hara), Aya Miyama, Homara Sawa, Shinobu Ohno (71: Eriko Arakawa), Kyoko Yano (73: Karina Maruyama), Mizuho Sakaguchi, Yukia Nagasato. Booked: none
TD: Norio SASAKI
USA: Hope Solo - Heather Mitts (86: Stephanie Cox), Christie Rampone-C, Lindsay Tarpley (67: Natasha Kai), Shannon Boxx, Amy Rodriguez (83: Lauren Cheney), Heather O'Reilly, Carli Lloyd, Kate Markgraf, Angela Hucles, Lori Chalupny. Booked: O'Reilly 40', Mitts 50'
TD: Pia SUNDHADE
R: Nicole PETIGNAT (SUI)
Gold Medal
21.08: Beijing; Workers' Stadium (21:00)
BRAZIL - USA
Photos from fifa.com
