USWNT edge Japan 2-1 in opener of friendly triple-header

The United States won the first of three women’s football friendlies against Japan over the next week, 2-1 on Saturday (12 April) behind a goal and an assist from Rose Lavelle.

Lavelle opened the scoring early in the eighth minute before teeing up the hosts’s second in the 48th minute in San Jose, California, as she won her 100th cap.

Japan - playing their first game since the shocking dismissal of coach Nils Nielsen after winning the Women’s Asian Cup - pulled one back shortly after the hour through an Ueki Riko header, the first goal conceded by the U.S. since last October.

But that would be as close as the visitors would get before the final whistle sounded a 10th straight win for five-time Olympic champions USA, their longest streak since 2023.

Sophia Wilson made her first start and appearance since giving birth to a daughter. She played her last game for country in October 2024.

Japan won the last meeting between the two former world champions in 2025, when the Nadeshiko came out ahead 2-1 in the SheBelieves Cup final. They were playing under acting coach Kano Michihisa on this day.

The second game of the triple-header is Tuesday in Seattle with the series wrapping up in Commerce City, Colorado, on Friday.

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