Viewing parties for today’s 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup final between the U.S. and Japan will be held at five locations in Los Angeles County and in Tustin in Orange County.
The opening kickoff from Vancouver, British Columbia is set for 4 p.m. The game will be televised in English by Fox and in Spanish by Telemundo.
The Los Angeles and Orange County watch parties will be held at:
— Bread & Barley, 130 N. Citrus Ave, Covina;
— The Man Cave Ultimate Sports Bar and Lounge, 3575 Cahuenga Blvd., Universal City;
— Q’s Billiard Club, 11835 Wilshire Blvd., Brentwood;
— Shannon’s On Pine, 209 Pine Ave., Long Beach;
— Underground Pub & Grill, 1332 Hermosa Ave., Hermosa Beach; and
— The Auld Dubliner, 2497 Park Ave., Tustin.
The viewing parties are organized by various chapters of American Outlaws, a nationwide support group for the U.S. men’s and women’s national soccer teams.
The game is a rematch of the 2011 World Cup Final, won by Japan on penalty kicks, 3-1, after overtime ended in a 2-2 tie, and the final of the 2012 Summer Olympics, won by the U.S., 2-1, with Carli Lloyd scoring both goals for the Americans.
The U.S. leads the series, 24-1-6. (The 2011 World Cup Final is considered a tie under rules from FIFA, soccer’s international governing body.) In the last six games, the U.S. is 2-1-3.
The teams have one common opponent in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Australia. The U.S. defeated Australia, 3-1, on June 8 in the opening game of the tournament for both teams, while Japan was a 1-0 winner in a quarterfinal match on June 27.
The U.S. has a 67 percent chance of winning and Japan a 33 percent chance, according to FiveThirtyEight.com, the ESPN-owned website that analyzes data related to politics, economics, science, life and sports.
The site had given Germany a 57 percent chance of winning Tuesday’s semifinal against the U.S., won by the Americans, 2-0.
The U.S. has shut out its opponents for 513 consecutive minutes after allowing its only goal of the tournament in the 27th minute against Australia. The U.S. has allowed eight shots on goal in its last five games and 14 for the tournament. Japan has allowed three goals.
The U.S. has scored nine goals in its six tournament games. Japan has also scored nine, including a tie-breaking own goal during second-half stoppage time of Wednesday’s 2-1 semifinal victory over England.
Japan has won all of its six games in the tournament by one goal. The U.S. has three two-goal victories and two one-goal victories with one game ending in a scoreless tie.
The U.S. is second in the rankings compiled by FIFA, and Japan fourth.
Japan’s 23-player roster includes four players who play for teams in Germany and two who play for teams in France.
All but one of the U.S. players play in the National Women’s Soccer League. The one exception is 35-year-old forward Abby Wambach, who played in the league in its first two seasons, but is not playing this year to concentrate on preparations for the World Cup.
The U.S. is seeking to become the first nation to win the FIFA Women’s World Cup three times. It won the inaugural 1991 tournament and the 1999 tournament held in the U.S. Japan is seeking to join the U.S. and Germany as the only two-time winners.
