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.
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.
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.
The Americans held 66.5% of the possession and led 12-9 in overall shots, although efforts on target finished level at five each.
The sides will meet for a third time on Friday in Commerce City, Colo.
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.
Michihisa Kano, Hayes’ Japanese counterpart, also made nine alterations and opted for a 4-4-2 after playing a 4-3-3 on Sunday.
Hamano put Japan in front in the 27th minute.
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.
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.
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.
Wilson forced Okuma into a save from a tight angle in the 71st minute.
Three minutes later, the Americans had a flurry of close-range chances blocked, two from Ally Sentnor and a third from Jaedyn Shaw.
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.
–Field Level Media
