The USA-Japan Softball Rivalry at the 2021 Olympics
Decades in the Making, Here's Why USA-Japan Is the Biggest Rivalry in Softball
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With softball back in the Olympics in 2021, we'll finally get to see the next chapter in this storied rivalry. For Japan, it's a chance to defend the hard-won gold from 13 years ago; for the US, a long-sought opportunity for redemption. The game will be even more intense for two American players, Monica Abbott and Cat Osterman, who are the only players still active from that 2008 team: Osterman started the 2008 gold medal game that the US lost, and Abbott plays professionally in Japan alongside many of the players she'll be facing.
The US beat Japan in walk-off fashion on Monday, but the game was tight and you can expect both teams to come out with extra energy and determination in the gold medal game. If we know anything about these two rivals, it's that their matchups never disappoint.