Maika Hamano scored just after the halfway point of the first half and Japan defeated the United States 1-0 on Tuesday night to snap the Americans’ 10-match winning streak in a friendly played in Seattle.<\/p>\n
Akane Okuma made five saves to become the first goalkeeper to hold the U.S. scoreless since the Americans’ 0-0 friendly draw at England on Nov. 30, 2024.<\/p>\n
In the second of three friendlies in seven days against the four-time World Cup champions, Japan, the 2011 World Cup winners, became the first side to beat the USWNT since Portugal prevailed 2-1 in a friendly last October.<\/p>\n
The Americans held 66.5% of the possession and led 12-9 in overall shots, although efforts on target finished level at five each.<\/p>\n
The sides will meet for a third time on Friday in Commerce City, Colo.<\/p>\n
USA manager Emma Hayes named an entirely new starting lineup from the one that earned a 2-1 friendly victory on Saturday in San Jose, Calif., and swapped a 4-4-2 from the first match for a 4-2-3-1.<\/p>\n
Michihisa Kano, Hayes’ Japanese counterpart, also made nine alterations and opted for a 4-4-2 after playing a 4-3-3 on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Hamano put Japan in front in the 27th minute.<\/p>\n
Fuka Nagano began the attack through the middle with a throughball to striker Maya Hijikata, who then turned and spotted Hamano entering the right corner of the penalty area.<\/p>\n
With Lilly Reale closing, Hamano cut back onto her right foot, then unleashed a high shot that got just beyond the dive of goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce.<\/p>\n
Hayes made a quadruple substitution in the 65th minute — sending on Trinity Rodman, Sophia Wilson, Tierna Davidson and Gisele Thompson — and the result was the Americans creating the majority of the late chances.<\/p>\n
Wilson forced Okuma into a save from a tight angle in the 71st minute.<\/p>\n
Three minutes later, the Americans had a flurry of close-range chances blocked, two from Ally Sentnor and a third from Jaedyn Shaw.<\/p>\n
And in second-half stoppage time, Okuma appeared to save a dangerous volley from Lindsey Heaps at the near post, though Heaps was ultimately ruled offside on the play.<\/p>\n
–Field Level Media<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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