Clinton rooting for US women's team in football final

ATHENS (AFP) - American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she will be cheering on the United States women's football team when they meet Japan in the World Cup final in Frankfurt, Germany later on Sunday.

The US are bidding to win the World Cup for the third time after previous successes in 1991 and 1999, and Senator Clinton said she had been thrilled by their performances in the tournament.

"I am going to be watching," she said during a conversation with Greek prime minister George Papandreou.

"I'm so excited. I am so proud of the US women. Dr Biden (wife of US vice-president Joe Biden) is there and my daughter was asked to accompany her.

"So we have a really good cheering section and I've just got the highest hopes that this great team, which has such resilience, will be coming back and winning for the US."

The US eliminated Brazil on penalties in the quarter-finals following a 2-2 draw and advanced to the final by beating France 3-1 in Moenchengladbach.

Clinton revealed that her husband, former president Bill Clinton, had also been rooting for Pia Sundhage's side.

"The game that they played against Brazil, which Bill and I watched on the internet, was one of the best soccer games I've ever seen," she said.

Japan have never won a major women's title and have never beaten the US in 25 attempts, meaning the Stars and Stripes will start the final as strong favourites.