U.S and Japan unchanged, Wambach starts on bench

By Simon Evans VANCOUVER (Reuters) - The United States and Japan named unchanged starting lineups for their Women’s World Cup final clash at BC Place on Sunday. U.S coach Jill Ellis left all-time top scorer Abby Wambach on the bench for the third straight game and started with Alex Morgan as a lone striker. The 35-year-old Wambach has said Sunday’s game will be her last World Cup match and her future beyond the final is unclear. Captain Carli Lloyd is likely to be given an attacking midfield role with license roam forward in support of Morgan. Japan coach Norio Sasaki will again play a fluid version of 4-4-2 with playmaker Aya Miyami starting on the left flank and Nahomi Kawasumi on the right. Striker Shinobu Ohno, who has yet to score in the tournament, will again lead the line although ‘supersub’ Mana Iwabuchi has frequently featured as a second-half replacement. Japan’s own veteran star, the 36-year-old Homare Sawa, starts on the bench. The teams met in the 2011 final with Japan triumphing in a penalty shootout. Teams United States (4-5-1) 1-Hope Solo; 11-Ali Krieger, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 19-Julie Johnston, 22-Meghan Klingenberg; 17-Tobin Heath, 14-Morgan Brian, 12-Lauren Holiday, 10-Carli Lloyd, 15-Megan Rapinoe; 13-Alex Morgan. - - Japan (4-4-2) 18-Ayumi Kaihori; 19-Saori Ariyoshi, 3-Azusa Iwashimizu, 4-Saki Kumagai, 5-Aya Sameshima; 9-Nahomi Kawasumi, 6-Mizujo Sakaguchi, 13-Rumi Utsugi, 8-Aya Miyama, 11-Shinobu Ohno, 17-Yuki Ogimi. (Reporting by Simon Evans; editing by Ken Ferris)