Penalty pain for USA, as Japan hold their nerve in Women's World Cup Final shoot-out !

Japan celebrate their World Cup success after defeating USA in a penalty shoot-out tonight

Japan became the first Asian nation to win the Women's World Cup, beating the USA in a penalty shoot-out in Frankfurt tonight.

It was a heart breaking end to the tournament for the USA, who were just three minutes away from becoming the first country to lift the trophy for a third time, in what was a truly exhilarating final.

The USA dominated the opening stages. Lively winger Lauren Cheney forced a save from Ayumi Kaihori with a shot from an acute angle, just 25 second into the contest.

On eight minutes, Megan Rapinoe found some space on the left and her excellent near post cross was turned just wide again by Cheney. Barely a minute later, Abby Wambach fired a shot over as USA maintained their bright start.

Then it was Atlanta Beat midfielder Carli Lloyd who had the next chance to break the deadlock. Japan were unable to deal with Shannon Boxx's cross into the penalty area and the ball dropped kindly for the midfielder, but her sweetly struck shot from inside the the box sailed just over.

In the 12th minute Rapinoe then pushed the ball wide at the near post in a move reminiscent of Cheney’s effort a few minutes earlier.

In the 29 minute Wambach, the USA’s all-time top FIFA Women’s World Cup goalscorer, hit a stunning shot from close to the corner of the penalty area which rattled the underside of the crossbar and rolled away to safety.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, with the USA looking the far more threatening and the more likely to score.

Alex Morgan who came on at half-time for Cheney immediately imposed herself on the game. Four minutes after coming on the youngster got on the end of a Heather O’Reilly cross, only to see her toe-poked effort come back off the upright.

Then on the hour mark a Wambach header forced an excellent save from Kaihori as USA pushed ever closer to an opener.

However it was Morgan (right, wearing 13) who eventually gave the Stars and Stripes the lead on 69 minutes. A quick counter attack saw Rapinoe play an excellent long ball through for Morgan to run onto. She used her strength to hold off a defender, before the 22 year-old substitute hit a perfectly placed angled drive past the despairing Kaihori. 1-0 USA.

The USA seemed comfortably on course for victory with Japan posing little in the way of an attacking force, but with nine minutes of normal time remaining and against the run of play the Asian side equalised. Rachel Buehler and Alex Krieger failed to clear their lines following a cross from the right, allowing Aya Miyama to smash the loose ball past Hope Solo. USA 1-1 Japan.

So for the fourth time in six FIFA Women’s World Cup Finals, the match went into extra-time.

The USA regained the lead in the 104th minute when Morgan aimed a pinpoint cross towards the towering Wambach. The forward powered home a header from six yards, Wambach's fourth goal of the tournament - all from headers. 2-1 USA