SEATTLE (AP) — Maika Hamano scored as Japan defeated the U.S. women’s national team 1-0 in a friendly Tuesday night, ending the U.S.’s winning streak at 10.
This was the United States’ first loss since October 23, 2025, when they lost 2-1 to Portugal, and the first shutout in 42 games. The U.S. won 10 games in a row for the first time since 2023. Saturday’s match against Japan was a 2-1 win.
Coach Emma Hayes had no regrets about her team having scheduled three consecutive games against Japan.
“If we had picked a lesser opponent, I would have sat here and said, ‘What a great night, we won by a few points,'” Hayes said. “I would have felt good and written a lot of things in the column that would have given the team more credit. But I don’t believe in that.”
By Saturday, Japan had won 2-1 in their previous encounter with the United States in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup final.
Hamano deceived Lily Real and fired a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Fallon Tallis-Joyce’s outstretched left hand in the 27th minute.
“It’s a big deal,” Tallis-Joyce said. “Japan is very technical.”
Coach Hayes made significant changes to the lineup used Saturday in San Jose, resting players such as Sophia Wilson and Trinity Rodman, who started the previous game. Hayes defended his decision to field a young lineup Tuesday.
“If we just play to win, it might not be much different in this game,” Hayes said. “We’re playing with the majority of seniors and whether it’s adding a few more seniors or a few more seniors. But that’s not my position. And I don’t regret those decisions.”
Wilson and Rodman came off the bench in the 65th minute, as did Tierna Davidson and Gisele Thompson. Davidson has not played for the United States since February 2025 after tearing his ACL in a game against Gotham FC last March.
Wilson played in two consecutive games after the birth of his daughter. She had not played for the United States since October 2024.
On Tuesday, the U.S. women’s national team played its first game. new grass Installed at Lumen Field for this summer world cup. The women’s team had not visited Lumen since 2017 because the stadium is made of artificial turf.
“I didn’t notice it at all, which means it was a good thing,” Lindsay Heaps said.
The announced crowd for the match was 36,128, breaking the record for a single women’s match in Seattle. Megan Rapinoe retirement match The 2023 Seattle Reign drew 34,130 fans.
The final match of the three-game series between Japan and the United States is scheduled for Friday in Commerce City, Colorado.
“They’re a world-class team,” Hayes said. “I think if we win the first game then the second game will inevitably be that challenge. They are a top team so we have to give them a lot of credit. So go for it in the third game.”
___
AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
