Defending champions the United States thrashed underdog Japan 4-2 in the semifinals on Monday to set up a final with Brazil at the women's soccer tournament of Beijing Olympic Games.

Japan, who lost to the United States 1-0 in the group stage, drew the first blood at the 16th minute when forward Shinobu Ohno hit in pass from teammate Yukari Kinga. The American defence then was tricked by their own offside trap, leaving Ohno unmarked just before the goal.

Japan's defence began to shake when the United States stepped up attack, and at the 41st minute, the defending champions equalised through midfielder Angela Hucles who raced to a back-heel pass from forward Amy Rodriguez and put the ball past Japan goalkeeper Miho Fukumoto.

Three minutes later, the United States went ahead when defender Lori Chalupny cut in from the left and unleased a powerful right-footer into right top corner of Japan's goal.

The attack of the United States proved relentless after the interval, and at the 70th minute when Heather O'Reilly adeptly lobbed the ball flying beyond the reach of fully-stretched Japanese Fukumoto.

Hucles put the icings on the cake as she chipped the ball over Fukumoto and into the net at the 80th minute.

Japan scored a consolation goal in the injury time through substitute Eriko Arakawa who swept a pass from Kozue Ando past the American goalkeeper Hope Solo. One minute before, striker Yuki Nagasato nearly made it when her shot bounced off the bar.

In a repeat of the Athens Olympics final, the United States will play Brazil who beat Germany 4-1 in the other semifinal in Shanghai.

It was a sweet revenge for Brazil as they lost to Germany 2-0 in the final of the World Cup last year in Shanghai.

But the whole process was like a roller-coster as veteran and prolific striker Birgit Prinz put Germany ahead with only ten minutes into play, and things looked ominous for the Brazil as Germany had conceded no goal from last April in any official competitive games.

Germany were left to rue that miss when Brazil equalised in the 43rd minute as they left unmarked Brazilian midfielder Formiga unmarked who smashed a right-footed shot into the net.

Marta almost added insult to injury a minute later when her goal-bound shot was superbly tipped over the bar by Angerer, but both teams went into the interval level.

The crowd did not have to wait too long for Brazil's next goal. Renate Lingor's corner was cleared by the Brazil rearguard into the path of Marta, who ran from deep inside her own half to the edge of the German box. The FIFA Women's World Player of the Year showed great awareness to slip the ball to her left and find Cristiane, who had the easiest of opportunities to slot the ball home.

By now, Brazil's pace and movement were threatening to tear the German defence apart and Marta's goal in the 53rd minute was just reward for their dominance. Receiving the ball down the right channel, she ran at the German defence before squeezing in a left-footed poke past Angerer from the narrowest of angles.

Another Brazilian counter-attack in the 76th minute led to their fourth - and Cristiane's second of the evening. She squeezed her way past four German defenders and then side-footed the ball into the net for her fifth of the tournament.

Brazil, who lost to the United States 2-1 in Athens final, will try to remove their tag of "final chokers" and win their first ever international title as they take on the defending Champions in the final on Thursday.

(Xinhua News Agency August 19, 2008)