What to watch: Can the U.S. defense slow Germany's offense?

It’s finally here.

The game many anticipated when the FIFA Women’s World Cup started has finally come to fruition and it’s going to be a dandy. Germany and the United States are ranked first and second in the world, respectively. They each have two World Cup titles and the winner of this game is considered the favorite to hoist a third trophy.

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But it won’t be easy. These teams match up oddly well and tonight’s game should be a hotly contested affair. It almost feels like a World Cup final and, rest assured, both teams will treat it as such.

Here are a few things to watch when the game kicks off at 7 p.m. ET.

Release Alex Morgan

The USWNT isn’t a one-woman show, but Morgan has the type of pace that gave Germany fits against France in the quarterfinals. Look for Morgan to try and get most of her play against Tabea Kemme, who is considered the weakest player in an average German defense.

If Germany focuses on Morgan, it will free up Christian Press to have the breakout game for which we’ve all been waiting. Press has the speed and skill to be a factor in this contest. She just needs an opportunity (more on that later).

Overall, the U.S. will need to play quickly and be technically sound in order to create opportunities against Germany. As France showed in the quarterfinals, the chances are there. The issue with France was finishing, so the Americans will need to be on the top of their game. That’s a tall order considering the U.S. offense hasn’t exactly blossomed in this tournament. The chances have been there, but so has the frustration of missing key opportunities.

Kemme and fellow outside back Leonie Maier like to jump into the attack. This can be good and bad for the U.S. It does open opportunities for space in the attacking third, but it also makes for a furious and rather potent counterattack as both players have good speed and skill. Saskia Bartusiak returns as the starting center back, which should create a little more stability in the German defense, but the U.S. should have opportunities, especially with Megan Rapinoe putting pressure on the flanks.

Thwarting Germany’s attack

Anja Mittag and Celia Sasic have accounted for 11 of Germany’s 20 goals in the tournament. What makes Sasic and Mittag so dangerous is their speed, physicality and finishing. Both players work well on and off the ball and will be a handful for a U.S. defense that has played extremely well throughout the tournament. But Becky Sauerbrunn and Julie Johnston, who have been as steady and aggressive as any defenders in the tournament, will have their work cut out for them.

Germany might be without super midfield sub Dzsenifer Marozsan, who suffered a severe ankle injury against France. Germany announced that she would not play in the semifinal, but at this level of the tournament, gamesmanship is as much of a strategy as anything that happens on the field.

Marozsan has been invaluable this tournament in terms of spelling key players in the midfield and keeping the level of play. Not having her available could be key as the game wears on and the midfielders get tired. Again, this will go back to the U.S. having an active and effective midfield that forces the German midfielders to constantly have to play both sides of the ball.

It’s your time to shine, Hope

Hope Solo is regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world, but has not been able to show off her skills. She hasn’t really been tested since the opening match against Australia and she’s only conceded one goal, carrying a shutout streak of 423 minutes into Tuesday's semifinal.

Germany hasn’t faced a world-class goalkeeper like Solo, so this should be a great matchup and one that a competitor like Solo will relish.

Trust that Solo will be amped for this game. It’s a chance to shut down two of the best scorers in the tournament, beat the No. 1 team in the world and perhaps solidify herself as one of the best goalkeepers of all time. That’s a moment Solo won’t let pass her by.

In the meantime …

While the aforementioned points will be what to watch during the game, all eyes will be on U.S. head coach Jill Ellis before it and how she decides to set her lineup.

There’s no question the Americans looked their most potent and organized against China, especially in the midfield. Morgan Brian allowed Carli Lloyd to play with a freedom she hadn’t displayed during the tournament and it paid dividends with Lloyd’s decisive goal. Does Ellis stick with Brian and leave Lauren Holliday, who was suspended last game, on the bench?

Similarly, what does Ellis do with the wings? Megan Rapinoe is back from suspension and has been the U.S.’ most dynamic player. It seems a no-brainer to put her back into the lineup, but who starts on the other side? Tobin Heath or Kelly O’Hara?

And then there’s the question of forwards. Alex Morgan is solidified, but what about Abby Wambach? This could be her last World Cup game. Do you choose nostalgia over strategy? Christian Press has the speed and skill to be a factor against Germany, especially alongside another speedster like Morgan. That’s the best tandem up front in this game. However, Wambach provides a big target on crosses. What will Ellis do?

Personally, I would play with Morgan and Press up front and start Rapinoe, Brian and Lloyd in midfield along with O’Hara over Heath simply because of her physicality. That leaves the U.S. with a lot of great options off the bench if things go awry.

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Want to read my in-game ramblings about soccer? Follow Graham Watson on Twitter @Yahoo_Graham