USMNT beats Japan 2-0 to snap seven-game winless run vs top-25 teams
Alejandro Zendejas and Folarin Balogun score as the United States dominates a Japan side of mostly second-string players in Columbus
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The United States men’s national team defeated Japan 2-0 on Tuesday night, ending a seven-game winless streak against top-25 opponents in a friendly that featured a largely second-string Japan lineup.
Alejandro Zendejas opened the scoring in the 30th minute with a left-footed volley from a long cross by left back Max Arfsten. Folarin Balogun added a second in the 64th minute, capitalizing on a through pass from Christian Pulisic to place an angled shot past goalkeeper Keisuke Osako for his sixth international goal.
Fifteenth-ranked the United States came into the match two days after a 2-0 loss to South Korea and is using a series of friendlies this month as coach Mauricio Pochettino prepares to call players into training ahead of the World Cup. Japan, ranked 17th, made wholesale changes from its 0-0 draw with Mexico on Saturday, replacing all 11 starters and fielding eight players with 10 or fewer international appearances. Several regulars for Japan entered the match in the 62nd minute.
The U.S. dominated possession and chances, outshooting Japan 19-11 in front of a pro-American sellout crowd of 20,192 at Lower.com Field. The victory was the Americans’ sixth in Columbus and marked their first win over a top-25 side since the CONCACAF Nations League final against Mexico in March 2024. The U.S. had suffered five straight defeats in matches against top-25 opponents before Tuesday.
Mauricio Pochettino made multiple changes from the lineup that began the loss to South Korea, starting Chris Richards, Alex Freeman, Cristian Roldan, Zendejas and Balogun in place of Sergiño Dest, Diego Luna, Sebastian Berhalter, Tim Weah and Josh Sargent. Richards, Tim Ream and Tristan Blackmon formed a three-man back line, with Arfsten and Freeman deployed as wingbacks in a formation Pochettino had introduced late in Saturday’s game.
Roldan’s start paired him with Tyler Adams in midfield; the two had not started together since 2018, and it was Roldan’s first start in 26 months. The lineup changes reflected the coaching staff’s experimentation as the U.S. balances evaluation of players with preparation for major tournament roster decisions.
Japan’s Koki Ogawa struck the crossbar in the 70th minute, while Jack McGlynn rattled the U.S. woodwork in the 83rd. Several of Japan’s more experienced players entered in the second half, but the Americans managed to preserve the clean sheet.
Pochettino has scheduled a series of eight friendlies this month as part of the buildup to the World Cup, giving opportunities to roster candidates and allowing the coaching staff to assess different tactical looks. The result on Tuesday provided a morale boost and a rare positive result against an opponent ranked inside the top 25, even as Japan’s rotated lineup tempered the magnitude of the win.
Several U.S. players who started in Columbus turned in encouraging performances. Zendejas, who has 13 international appearances, scored his second goal for the national team. Balogun’s composed finish continued his productive start to his international career. Christian Pulisic, who assisted on Balogun’s goal, and other regulars will be among those monitored as Pochettino narrows his pool ahead of World Cup preparations.
The U.S. now turns its attention to the remaining friendlies in the schedule, which will shape the roster and tactical approach for the World Cup cycle. Japan returns to its qualification and match program with a mix of established internationals and emerging players gaining experience from the rotated roster approach used in Columbus.