It’s only a semifinal but when the United States team meets Germany tonight it may seem like the championship game in the Women’s World Cup.

After all, this is the No. 1 ranked team in the world – Germany – against the No. 2 team, the United States. The other semifinal, Wednesday night, pits No. 4 Japan, the defending champion, against No. 6 England.

The American side advanced to the semi-final with a 1-0 victory over China, a team ranked just 16th in the world, a victory that drew praise from experts for the seemingly revitalized U.S. offense.

U. S. coach Jill Ellis made three changes in the China game, the most significant being the change from veteran  Abby Wambach, the all-time women’s goal scorer with Amy Rodriguez. In addition Morgan Brian for the suspended Lauren Holiday and Kelley O’Hara for the also suspended Megan Rapinoe seemed to help the U.S.

So Ellis is faced with a big dilemma going into the game tonight. Does she return to her veteran and experienced  lineup or does she go with the youth movement that seemed to stimulate a faster and more attacking game against China?

Rapinoe is bound to get her position in the midfield back because most experts think she has been the most effective player on the American side during the tournament.  But after that the decisions remain up in the air.

And make no mistake, Ellis will be second-guessed both ways if the U.S. loses to Germany. The magnitude of this decision is so great that if whatever she decides Ellis’ career as the American side coach could hang in the balance.

In Germany the U.S. will face an opponent that has scored a tournament leading 20 goals, although that statistic may be a bit misleading because of a 10-0 win over Ivory Coast. there is no doubt, however, that this is the biggest challenge faced by the U.S. so far.

Germany is technically as sound a team as there is and they have a rugged and speedy defense. The American side is going to have difficulty even getting shots on goal unless somebody comes forward with a game that climbs into the special category.

If Rodriguez replaces Wambach it will be the benching of a player who is the best finisher and big game star  in women’s soccer with a player who is a non-stop runner and who can keep incessant pressure on a defense.

Germany was outplayed by France in the quarterfinal game until a penalty kick tied the game at 1-1 and the German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer played like a heroine during the shootout, giving Germany the game.

Throughout the tournament the Americans have played stout defense but have had difficulty getting shots on, and scoring, goals. that will be the main issue Tuesday night – whether the U.S. can generate the kind of offense that will get them on the board against a stifling defense.

"This is why we’re here," defender Ali Krieger told FIFA.com. She, has played professionally for four years in Germany. "We want to beat the best team in the world and to win the trophy, that’s what you have to do. Coming off the game against China we have that extra confidence to hopefully start off the game as well as we did last one."

Leonie Maier, the fabulous German defender put the game in perspective from her standpoint.

"These are two good teams who never give anything away, and it’s going to be a really tough match," she said. "USA are physically and mentally stronger than France, who played a more eye-catching brand of football."

Eye-catching may well be the goal for the American side in the game that starts at 6 p.m. and will be televised by Fox Sports.