The American women's soccer team is no longer feeling groovy tonight. Japan won the World Cup for Women, stunning the United States 3-1 during a penalty shootout after coming from behind twice in a 2-2 tie.
Japan's team had not beaten the Americans in their first 25 meetings, including a pair of 2-0 losses in warm-up games about a month before the World Cup. But Japan women's national football team, or Nadeshiko Japan (なでしこジャパン) played inspired throughout the tournament, hoping their success could provide an emotional lift to Japan, which is still reeling from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami natural disasters.
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