US Men’s National Team Triumphs Over Japan
In Columbus, Ohio, Alejandro Zendejas opened the scoring in the 30th minute, with Folarin Balogun adding another goal in the 64th, as the US snapped a seven-game winless streak against top 25 teams, defeating Japan 2-0 on Tuesday night.
Just days earlier, the 15th-ranked US team suffered a 2-0 loss to South Korea, prompting coach Mauricio Pochettino to emphasize the need for better training as they prepare for the World Cup.
Japan, ranked 17th, fielded a squad that resembled a B team, making all 11 changes from their previous match, a 0-0 draw with Mexico. Notably, eight players had fewer than 10 international appearances to their names.
When Japan qualified for their eighth consecutive World Cup, their lineup for that match against Bahrain did not include any of the starters who faced the US.
The Americans had been struggling against top-tier opponents, having lost five matches since the CONCACAF Nations League final against Mexico in March 2024.
Despite this, the US held a 19-11 advantage in shots and secured their sixth consecutive 2-0 victory in Columbus, in front of a sold-out crowd of 20,192.
Zendejas volleyed in a cross from Max Arfsten, marking his second international goal. Balogun followed suit, scoring his sixth after receiving a pass from Christian Pulisic and executing a precise shot inside the far post.
The starting lineup saw Chris Richards, Alex Freeman, Christian Roldan, Zendejas, and Balogun come in for Sergiño Dest, Diego Luna, Sebastian Lletget, Tim Weah, and Josh Sargent.
A three-man defense composed of Richards, Tim Ream, and Tristan Blackmon set the tone, while Arfsten and Freeman transitioned to wingbacks after halftime.
This match marked the first time since 2018 that Tyler Adams and Roldan started together, with Roldan having not begun a match in 26 months.
Japan’s Koki Ogawa hit the crossbar in the 70th minute, and American Jack McGlynn had a similar near-miss in the 83rd.
