USMNT vs Japan
Leave it to this team to put us through a seesaw of emotions in the course of a week. Fell to South Korea and then proceeded to shutout the 17th-ranked team in the world, earning a victory that might calm the waters for a bit. Still a long ways to go, but at least we’ve got a bright spot to build off. A key factor in this one: that famed Columbus crowd. Showed out in droves against Japan and helped lift the squad at critical moments throughout the game. The eruption as soon as Zendejas scored the opener? Deafening. For sure one of our favorite places to catch the National Team. We’ll be anxiously waiting for that showdown against Ecuador (who just beat Argentina) next month in Austin.
Photography by: Peter Bonilla
The U.S. men’s national team closed the September international window on a high note Tuesday night, defeating Japan 2-0 at Lower.com Field to halt a seven-game winless run against top-ranked opponents.
Alejandro Zendejas and Folarin Balogun provided the goals, while Christian Pulisic’s creativity sparked an American attack that looked far more cohesive than it had just three days earlier in a 2-0 loss to South Korea. The result offered some much-needed relief for head coach Mauricio Pochettino, whose side had been under pressure to show progress with less than a year until the 2026 World Cup kicks off on home soil.
“It wasn’t just about the result, but about the way we performed,” Pochettino said after the match. “The players understood the expectations tonight, and they responded.”
The breakthrough came in the 30th minute when Columbus Crew midfielder Max Arfsten whipped a cross into the box that Zendejas met with a first-time volley. It was a confident strike from the 26-year-old Club América winger, who ended an eight-game scoring drought for club and country and put the U.S. in front.
Japan, fielding a heavily rotated lineup after a scoreless draw with Mexico over the weekend, nearly equalized before halftime. U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese, making just his second international appearance, produced a reflex save to deny Junya Ito from close range and preserve the lead. Freese finished with six saves and earned his first clean sheet in a U.S. shirt.
The hosts doubled their advantage in the 64th minute, with Pulisic at the heart of the move. The U.S. captain slipped a perfectly weighted through ball behind Japan’s back line, and Balogun raced onto it before slotting a low shot inside the near post. The goal was Balogun’s first for the national team since the Copa América last summer and a timely reminder of his quality in a crowded striker pool.
Japan pushed forward in the closing stages, but the U.S. back line — anchored by veterans Tim Ream and Chris Richards — held firm. Substitute Jack McGlynn came close to adding a third when his curling effort rattled the crossbar, while Japan goalkeeper Keisuke Osako made three late saves to keep the scoreline respectable.
The victory marked the USMNT’s first win over a top-20 FIFA-ranked team since last year and extended their impressive record in Columbus to 11-1-3. It also gave Pochettino valuable insight as he continues to shape his World Cup roster, with Zendejas and Balogun making strong cases for bigger roles.
With two more friendlies looming in October against Ecuador and Australia, Tuesday’s result provided momentum — and perhaps a turning point — as the U.S. builds toward a tournament it will co-host alongside Mexico and Canada next summer.
