COLOMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Alejandro Zendejas scored in the 30th minute, with Folalin Balogun adding a goal in the 64th, and the US stopped a seven-game unwinning streak against top 25 opponents by beating the Japanese team of players 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-
We were away from the 15th place 2-0 loss to Korea At the start of eight friendly matches on Saturday, before coach Mauricio Pockettino called players for training ahead of the World Cup.
No. 17 Japan essentially used the B team, changing all 11 starters from Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Mexico, starting eight players enrolled in international appearances of less than 10. When Samurai Blue won the eighth consecutive World Cup berth, there were no starters in the group that started their March match against Bahrain, but some regulars entered the 62nd minute.
The US has not beaten the top 25 teams, including five consecutive defeats since the Conca Caffusions League final against Mexico in March 2024. The Americans were promoted to the advantage 19-11, but won the sixth 2-0 win at Columbus, ahead of a sold-out crowd of 20,192 parents on the field at lower.com.
Zendejas took a long cross from Max Arfsten in the left rear and volleyed with his left foot from near the penalty spot for his second goal in 13 international appearances.
Balogun scored the sixth international goal after a Christian Purisic pass, defeating goalkeeper Osaka ke with an angular shot inside the far post.
Chris Richards, Alex Freeman, Christian Roldan, Zendejas and Balogun joined the starting lineup in place of Serguinho Desty, Diego Luna, Sebastian Barhalter, Tim Weir and Josh Sargent.
Richards, Tim Ream and Tristan Blackmon started out as a three-man backline. Arfsten and Freeman switched to Wingbacks with formation coach Pochettino in the second half of Saturday.
Adams and Roldan have not started together since 2018, and Roldan got their first start in 26 months.
Japanese Ogawa Koki hit the crossbar on the 70th, and on the 83rd, it was similar to American Jack McGlynn.
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