The U.S. women's national team opened their three-game swing against Japan with a 2-1 on Saturday, the hosts scoring on each side of the break to extend their winning streak to 10 matches.
Emma Hayes' side got off to a quick start with a goal in the eighth minute after they earned a freekick in Japan's half. Sam Coffey sent a long ball from the right flank to the far side of the goal, where Trinity Rodman met it. She flicked the ball towards a nearby Rose Lavelle, who then took a shot that was assisted by a deflection on the way in.
After ruing a few missed chances, the U.S. opened the second half with another goal. Sisters Gisele and Alyssa Thompson kicked things off and the team was off to the races, the play eventually ending with Lavelle connecting with Lindsey Heaps, the captain finishing things off for her 40th international goal. Lavelle also notched her eighth goal contribution in her last eight starts for the national team, all in her 100th start for the USWNT.
Japan had eagerly pushed for a goal of their own since going down early and finally had their response in the 61st minute. Substitutes Honoka Hayashi and Riko Ueki connected for the goal, Ueki coming up with the finish as a range of changes over the course of the second half allowed Japan to gain a greater foothold in the game.
The match also marked Sophia Wilson's first game for the national team since the fall of 2024, playing over an hour in her return. Wilson spent all of 2025 on maternity leave and welcomed her daughter in September, though she played her first game back last month with the NWSL's Portland Thorns.
The USWNT continue their schedule against Japan on Tuesday at Seattle's Lumen Field.
61' Japan's long wait for a goal is over, substitute Riko Ueki cutting the USWNT's lead in half. Honoka Hayashi connects with Maika Hamano, and Emily Fox initially completes a clearance. However, the ball is back with Japan and this time, Hayashi finds Ueki for the finish. The goal brings an end to the U.S.' streak without conceding a goal, which clocked in at 866 minutes.
Another win for the USWNT but much as it was in the first half, the performance was a bit of a mixed bag. The team deserves credit for putting enough of their chances into the back of the net but Japan really grew into the game, especially after a batch of substitutions. It was a strong outing for the Thompson sisters and Gisele in particular, who is starting to climb her way out of the bubble and looks more and more like a serious option for the USWNT in Brazil at the Women's World Cup next summer. Sophia Wilson, meanwhile, will be happy with her national team return.
If there are questions to ask, though, it once again lands in midfield. The trio of Sam Coffey, Lindsey Heaps and Rose Lavelle had their moments -- each played an important role in at least one of the goals -- but the game slipped away from them over the course of the 90 minutes. In a team where up and coming talents are pushing hard for starting roles, they may not have done the work of making their case as a collective, even if there's no reason to suggest they won't play roles on a World Cup team little over a year from now.
86' Japan are pushing for an equalizer and have really dominated this final stretch of the game, so the USWNT go to the bench to bring on some fresh legs. Claire Hutton and Emma Sears are on Lindsey Heaps and Alyssa Thompson.
69' Sophia Wilson goes just over an hour in her first USWNT game in more than a year, holding her own since returning from maternity leave. Michelle Cooper comes on in her place while Trinity Rodman also comes off for Ally Sentnor.
48' The USWNT love a quick start to a half, don't they? The Thompson sisters connect and the USWNT charge towards goal, the ball eventually falling to Rose Lavelle. Moeka Minami tries to disrupt the play but Lavelle regains possession and in the end, she sets it up for Lindsey Heaps to come up with a nice finish. Nice way to put some of those first half woes behind them, at least for the time being.
No changes for the USWNT as second half play gets underway in the Bay area.
Pretty fascinating first half, one that fits the billing for a meeting between two high-caliber opponents. The USWNT have limited Japan to just 0.2 expected goals from four shots and have the advantage but it has not been a perfect outing so far. Sophia Wilson has looked bright in her first games for the national team since returning from maternity leave, while Gisele and Alyssa Thompson have done nicely on the left flank.
As a whole, though, the team's been hit and miss as it pertains to addressing Japan's high lines of pressure when they are out of possession but perhaps more notably, have been a bit wasteful in attack. They have just one shot on target and Alyssa Thompson probably wants two different shots back, surprisingly putting a pair of solid opportunities off frame. We'll see what's in store for the second half, especially as head coach Emma Hayes continues to tinker with things.
42' Japan's efforts to find an equalizer haven't slowed and this time, they look as close to scoring as they ahve all day. Moeka Minami connects with Manaka Matsukubo and all of a sudden, she's right in front of goal and looks poised to nab the visitors' opening goal of the game. Gisele Thompson hustles towards her, though, and nicks the ball off her feet to keep the USWNT out of danger. Close one for the hosts, that's for sure.
29' A lot of back and forth in this one so far, Japan finding their openings to take shots at goal. This time it's Aoba Fujino forcing Claudia Dickey into another save but again, these are not the most impactful shots from Japan -- that shot came in at just 0.03 expected goals. The USWNT's defensive resolve is holding quite well, a quiet trademark of Emma Hayes' version of the team -- and one that was especially on display during March's SheBelieves Cup, in which the U.S. may have scored just four goals in three games but kept a clean sheet in each one.
23' The USWNT apply enough pressure in midfield, win the ball from Japan and they're off to the races. Lindsey Heaps sends the ball across the goal line where Sophia Wilson is making a run in the center of the penalty area but can't get a touch on the ball. Alyssa Thompson is to her left and makes contact but she sends the ball wide and over the net. Japan take things in the other direction right away but Emily Fox drops back appropriately and stops the play in its tracks expertly.
20' Japan are already mounting a response to Rose Lavelle's opener, Momoko Tanikawa taking two shots Hinata Miyazawa forcing Claudia Dickey into a third save by the 15th minute. There's one more she has to make minutes later on a freekick from close range, her ability to tip the ball over keeping the USWNT out of gander.
So far, so good for the USWNT defense, since none of those chances really had a high expected goals value attached to it but one thing to keep in mind -- head coach Emma Hayes has the teams' last meeting, a 2-1 win for Japan at last year's SheBelieves Cup, front of mind during this month's games. The U.S. will attempt to control the game in each of the three matches they have this week against Japan, something they did not do a year ago.
8' Well that didn't take very long, did it? Sam Coffey whips in an incredible long ball from the right flank and it finds Trinity Rodman on the far side of the goal. Rose Lavelle isn't far away so Rodman flicks the ball her way, Lavelle's attempt -- and a deflection -- enough to give the USWNT an early lead against Japan.
It's a strong start for Lavelle in her 100th start for the national team and only continues a strong run of form. The 30-yaar-old has had a goal or an assist in seven of her last eight starts for the USWNT.
The teams are on the pitch at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif. and the USWNT's three game swing against Japan is officially underway!
The game is almost ready for kickoff, so let's have some fun with a prediction!
Sandra Herrera: Game one of a three-game slate with two powerhouses coming off recent title wins. Expect a closely contested battle for familiarity, with game one ending in a draw. Pick: USA 1, Japan 1
Here's what Davidson had to say about her return to USWNT camps:
"It feels great. I'm really happy to be back in the environment, to feel the excitement and the support from not just the staff but the players. I just feel so welcome. So I'm really happy to be able to be here and help the team in any way that I can," Davidson told the media.
A fun fact direct from U.S. Soccer game notes!
The USWNT has long held the edge in this series with an overall record of 32W-2L-8D since the teams first met in July 1986. The USA and Japan have faced each other nine times in the World Cup and the Olympics, including three consecutive championship matches. The USWNT defeated Japan in back-to-back World Cup quarterfinals in 1991 and 1995. They didn't see each other again in a world tournament until 2011 when Japan won its first FIFA Women's World Cup title after defeating the Americans in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 tie through regulation and overtime. The USA rebounded in 2015 by defeating Japan, 5-2, for the largest win in a FIFA Women's World Cup Final.
The USA has won all five matches against Japan in the Olympics, starting in the quarterfinals of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. The USWNT then defeated the Nadeshiko twice in 2008 in the group stage and semifinals. The fourth Olympic title for the USWNT came in 2012 after winning 2-1 against Japan in the Gold Medal Match. Their final Olympic matchup came 12 years later in the 2024 Paris Olympic quarterfinal when forward Trinity Rodman scored the game-winner in extra time for the 1-0 victory.
Japan has only defeated the U.S. outright twice, first with a 1-0 win in a friendly in 2012 and the second time in their most recent meeting in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup when Japan won, 2-1, to clinch the tournament title.
Japan's surging momentum: The current AFC Women's Asian Cup winners are in top form as they approach the three-match window, but there has been a recent shift on the sidelines.
The program parted ways with Nils Nielsen, the Danish coach who led the group to a 2025 SheBelieves Cup title win against the USWNT and last month's Asian Cup win. His contract expired in early April, and in his place, Michihisa Kano has been named interim manager. Kano is the former head coach of Japan's U20 team and led the team to a second-place finish at the 2024 FIFA U20 Women's World Cup.
While a sudden change could add a layer of uncertainty to a highly billed series against the United States, the roster's talent and surging momentum remain no matter who is on the sidelines.
We will have Japan's starting lineup shortly. In the meantime, here is the complete roster for the squad
Goalkeepers: Yamashita Ayaka (Manchester City), Hirao Chika (Granada), Okuma Akane (INAC Kobe Leonessa)
Defenders: Shimizu Risa (Liverpool), Minami Moeka (Brighton), Kumagai Saki (London City Lionesses), Takahashi Hana (Urawa Reds), Koga Tōko (Tottenham Hotspur), Kitagawa Hikaru (Everton), Yamamoto Yuzuki (Denver Summit), Moriya Miyabi (Angel City)
Midfielders: Miyazawa Hinata (Manchester United), Seike Kiko (Brighton), Nagano Fuka (Liverpool), Hasegawa Yui (Manchester City), Fujino Aoba (Manchester City), Hamano Maika (Tottenham Hotspur), Hayashi Honoka (Everton), Tanikawa Momoko (Bayern Munich), Matsukubo Manaka (North Carolina Courage), Chiba Remina (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Forward: Ueki Riko (West Ham United), Tanaka Mina (Utah Royals), Hijikata Maya (Aston Villa)
The band is almost back together for the USWNT and manager Emma Hayes. Wilson gets the start today against Japan. Here's what Hayes had to say about Wilson's inclusion on the roster:
Head coach Emma Hayes told reporters that Wilson's inclusion on the roster follows regular conversations with the player and is the right timing after her club play with the Portland Thorns.
"We spoke regularly, and this absolutely feels like the right time," Hayes said after the roster drop. "Not just because she's playing again at a high level, but I think it's really important for us to start getting these players like Soph back into a rhythm in preparation for the World Cup qualifiers."
Just a double espresso this time: Wilson returns to the squad following the birth of her daughter, Gigi. The attacker is one part of the USWNT's front line, dubbed "triple espresso," that guided the Stars and Stripes to the gold medal at the 2024 Olympics.
She'll be reunited with Trinity Rodman for the three-game series. Mallory Swanson, the third component of the attacking line, is still making her return to play following maternity leave.
Also making a return to the roster following a long absence is Davidson. The center back sustained an ACL injury in 2025, and this is her first camp in 2026.
Here's today's lineup against Japan
USWNT: 1-Claudia Dickey, 2-Trinity Rodman, 4-Naomi Girma, 10-Lindsey Heaps, 11-Sophia Wilson, 16-Rose Lavelle, 17-Sam Coffey, 21-Alyssa Thompson, 22-Gisele Thompson, 23-Emily Fox, 25-Kennedy Wesley
Available Subs: 3-Avery Patterson, 5-Lilly Reale, 6-Emily Sams, 7-Lily Yohannes, 8-Jaedyn Shaw, 9-Ally Sentnor, 13-Olivia Moultrie, 15-Claire Hutton, 19-Emma Sears, 20-Michelle Cooper, 24-Phallon Tullis-Joyce, 26-Jameese Joseph
Not dressing: 12-Tierna Davidson, 14-Emily Sonnett, 18-Jane Campbell
Here's how you can watch today's game, and the remaining dates for the next matches:
HOW TO WATCH
Date: Saturday, April 11 | Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
Place: PayPal Park --- San Jose, Calif.
TV: TNT, truTV
Stream: HBO Max
USWNT's REMAINING APRIL SCHEDULE
All times U.S./Eastern
Tuesday, April 14
USWNT vs. Japan: Seattle, Wa. (Lumen Field) -- 10 p.m. ET
Friday, April 17
USWNT vs. Japan: Commerce City, Co. (Dick's Sporting Goods Park) -- 9 p.m. ET
Hello and welcome to our live blog of USA vs. Japan! I'm Sandra Herrera, and I'll be joined by Pardeep Cattry to give you all live updates, highlights, and analysis of today's USWNT game against Japan.
