SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Rose LaBelle had a goal and an assist and the United States won the first of three games against Japan 2-1 on Saturday.
Lindsay Heaps also scored, and the U.S. won 10 straight games for the first time since 2023.
Japan’s Riko Ueki scored the goal. It was the first time the United States had conceded a goal since Oct. 26, when they beat Portugal 3-1 in 866 minutes.
Lovell scored a goal in the 9th minute to give the Americans an early lead. The goal came from a Sam Coffey free kick, which was sent to Lovell by Trinity Rodman.
This was Lavelle’s 28th international goal and his 100th career start.
Heaps scored off a feed from LaBelle less than three minutes into the second half. This was Heaps’ 40th goal for the United States.
“Part of the conversation at halftime was, ‘Can we control the ball high up the field?’ We had some moments where we controlled the ball low down, but if we can control the ball high up the field, we’re going to have a chance,” Heaps said.
In the 61st minute, Ueki scored a header to close the gap with Japan.
“I think there were times, especially in the first half, where we had confidence on the ball. We were able to get the ball in behind and make combination plays and get the ball back and make quick transitions. I think that was really important,” defender Gisele Thompson said. “But I think we have to keep it going throughout the game.”
The next games for both teams will be played in Seattle on Tuesday, followed by the final game in Commerce City, Colorado on Friday.
Sophia Wilson was named to the national team’s starting lineup for the first time since the birth of her daughter. She had not played for the United States since October 2024.
Japan was on the verge of winning the Women’s Asian Cup. Japan outscored its opponents 29-1 during the tournament and defeated host Australia 1-0 in the championship game.
With this performance, Japan earned the right to participate in the Women’s World Cup to be held in Brazil next year. The CONCACAF W Championship held in late November is a qualifying tournament for the American team.
Japan won 2-1 in their previous match against the United States in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup final.
Heaps said the U.S. has evolved since that loss in terms of how it controls games, where it controls games and the opportunities it creates.
“But I also give credit to the way the game ended, because a year ago we might not have ended it the way we did,” Heaps said. “We try not to put the ball in the back of the net. At the end of the day, that’s the most important thing.”
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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
