Friday 05 July 2019, 15:31

History beckons in La Grande Finale

  • USA and Netherlands to face off in France 2019 final

  • Stars and Stripes seek fourth title, Oranjeleeuwinnen hunt maiden crown

  • THE LATEST: #USANED Live Blog updating now

And then there were two. #LaGrandeFinale promises to be a historic occasion with a number of intriguing, interweaving storylines. USA are back for their third consecutive final, with a number of players remaining from the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015™ squad. The 2015 title-winning coach Jill Ellis will no doubt be calling on the experience of four years ago to drive her fresh team forward.

Standing in the way of the 'fourth star' for the US are the Netherlands, who have reached their maiden Women's World Cup final in only their second appearance at the global finals. Their meteoric rise has been fuelled by a golden generation, spearheaded by the attacking flair of Vivianne Miedema, Lieke Martens and Shanice van de Sanden.

Both sides' outstanding attacking talents should make for a mouthwatering final, with the race for the adidas Golden Boot another interesting subplot. For the Stars and Stripes, Alex Morgan (6 goals) and Megan Rapinoe (5) are jostling for position at the top of the standings, while Miedema (3) is perhaps a bit too far back to catch the dynamic duo - or England's Ellen White - atop the list of sharp shooters.

A record-extending fourth title for the US, or a maiden crown for the Dutch - who will be the history-makers on Sunday?

USA-Netherlands: Final, Lyon, 7 July, 17:00

Team Reporter analysis

Erin Fish [[flag-usa-s]] Four years of preparation and the day has finally arrived where the USWNT will take on the Netherlands in the FIFA Women's World Cup final. It hasn't been an easy route to the final for this US team, but the strength, grit and fight of this united squad has earned them a spot in the final match. The one factor the US team does have over the Oranjeleeuwinnen going into this match is experience. While this will be the first World Cup final for the Netherlands, it is the fifth appearance for the US and their third in the last three editions. Players who were winners in 2015 like Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Becky Sauerbrunn and Tobin Heath all know what it takes - and their message for the class of 2019 will surely be: etch your own name in the history books on Sunday.

Emma Coolen [[flag-ned-s]] "For the first time this tournament, we’ll go into a game as the underdog," Danielle van de Donk told FIFA.com. And that is certainly the case, as the Dutch surprised themselves and the world - just like they did at the UEFA Women’s EURO in 2017 - by even making it this far. But as the players like to say: 'Our Hunt (Onze Jacht) is far from over.’ The squad have consistently said they have yet to show their best football in France, and they'll certainly need to reach their best to beat the holders. If they do, they might have a shot at shocking the football world once again with the individual cogs of Lieke Martens, Jackie Groenen and Desiree van Lunteren making the Dutch machine an outsider for the title. Now it’s all about getting that engine to run smoothly.

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