For Team USA, it was a chance to avenge a loss at last year's FIFA Women's World Cup while continuing the United Stats' track record of Olympic success.
For Japan, it was a chance to make history by becoming the first team to win the Women's World Cup and an Olympic gold medal in consecutive years.
At Wembley Stadium, the two teams met and delivered an encounter worthy of the stakes. In the end, though, it was the U.S. winning its fourth gold medal in five Olympic Games since women's football was added to the program, defeating Japan by a 2-1 final score. Carli Lloyd scored both goals for the U.S., which captured its third consecutive gold medal, 389 days after losing to Japan on penalty kicks at the Women's World Cup.
The Americans struck early, as Lloyd got her head on a cross from Alex Morgan and sent the ball past goalkeeper Miho Fukumoto. Japan created a chance in the 16th minute for Nahomi Kawasumi, but stalwart U.S. defending kept the ball out of the net, and a header attempt by Yuki Ogimi was saved by U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo. Japan was unable to solve Hope Solo in the American net, and the U.S. went to the locker room with a 1-0 halftime lead.
Lloyd struck again in the 54th minute, scoring from just outside the penalty area with a curling right-footed shot that found the side netting behind the left post. The reigning World Cup champions would not fold, though, and Ogimi got Japan on the board when she converted on a rebound in the 63rd minute.
Still, Japan had reached the gold medal match with stingy defense, not the Americans' explosive offense. Nonetheless, the Japanese continued to earn opportunities, making the Americans work through all 90 minutes, most notably the 83rd, when Solo came up with big save on Tanaka to preserve the lead.
Nine minutes later, the celebration was on, and while the Americans celebrated their continued Olympic dominance - not to mention redepmtion from a year ago - Japan could be proud of its best finish and first-ever medal in Olympic women's football.