USA-Japan SheBelieves Cup Player Ratings

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USA-JAPAN EXPRESS:
Feb. 26 in San Diego
USA 1 Japan 2. Goals: Sentnor 14; Momiki 2, Koga 50.
Att.: 17,188.

Emma Hayes suffered her first defeat as head coach of the U.S. women’s national team as Japan outworked and outthought the USA to a 2-1 victory in the finale of the 2025 SheBelieves Cup in San Diego. The win was Japan’s second-ever over the USA in 90 minutes, and the first on U.S. soil. The other victory for the Nadeshiko came  in 2012 at the Algarve Cup.

Japan took the lead with just over a minute played. Yuka Momiki latched on to a line-splitting pass from Yui Hasegawa and then dinked the ball into the net. The early goal woke up the hosts and not long passed before Cat Macario picked out Ally Sentnor to rocket home her second international goal. Just five minutes into the second half, Japan got the winner when defender Toko Koga reacted quickest to a rebound from a free-kick and slotted the ball home from a tight angle.

The 2025 SheBelieves Cup had been billed by Hayes as a time for experimentation and development. While a first loss to an elite international opponent is quite understandable, the USA’s inability to chase the match at 2-1 down was rather disappointing.

The stat sheet certainly flatters the Americans, with total shots 10-9 and shots on target 5-4 both going in their favor. The Japanese did edge possession 51% to 49%. In the end, it was a more one-sided affair than those numbers imply.

USA Player Ratings

(1=low; 5=middle; 10=high.)

GOALKEEPER

She was not the worst offender on the night and perhaps a tad unlucky, but Jane Campbell’s audition to be the new USA number one took a step in the wrong direction. Confusion in the box and a collision with Emily Sonnett left Campbell powerless to stop the first Japan goal. It was not entirely Campbell’s fault. 

On the second, Campbell made an exceptional athletic diving save on Yui Hasegawa’s free kick but arguably she failed to punch the ball far enough away out of the danger zone, which allowed Toko Koga to score on the follow up. Unfortunate overall maybe, but not good enough. 

Player (Club) caps/goals (age)

4
Jane Campbell (Houston Dash) 10/0 (30) 

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DEFENDERS

A really tough match for the USA backline, not only in the chances they gave up but their inability to pass under pressure from the Japanese forwards. A recurring theme was ball watching. Japan’s short passes and frenetic movement often left the USA backline as bystanders in the match. 

The opening goal arose down Crystal Dunn’s left-hand side. The move started with a throw-in where Dunn, Sam Coffey and Tara McKeown all get caught ball watching and not tracking the opposition’s movement. 

Dunn made a good recovery tackle to stop a breakaway in the first half, and had a swift cross to the back post to create a chance for Lindsey Heaps. But the veteran seemed fatigued and unable to keep up with Japan. Dunn was removed at halftime. 

Emily Sonnett excels as a defender who is full of commitment and battle, but she couldn’t get in the fight. Her and Dunn need to take responsibility for not being able to communicate and organize this group. Sonnett being paired in the middle with the green McKeown wouldn’t have helped. 

In terms of on the ball effect, McKeown looked like the brightest of the back four. She was looking forward to find teammates and get the USA out of pressure. Made a couple of key blocks. Despite being subbed off in the 68th minute she led the USA in defensive actions (11). 

Like the rest of the backline, Emily Fox couldn’t handle the Japanese press. Later on in the game when Japan dropped deeper, there should have been more opportunities for Fox to make an impact higher up the pitch. Fox’s usual marauding self was pinned in. She gave up possession 14 times, the most of any player in the match.

Player (Club) caps/goals (age)

4
Crystal Dunn (Paris St. Germain, FRA) 157/25 (32)

3
Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC) 105/2 (31)

4
Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit) 3/0 (25)

4
Emily Fox (Arsenal, ENG) 65/1 (26)

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MIDFIELDERS

Having clicked as a trio a week ago in Houston, Texas, Hayes’ starting midfield group stuttered against a much more experienced and well-drilled opponent in Japan. 

The best of the set was Lily Yohannes. Who at just 17, and on only her fourth cap, was able to scan the pitch and identify pressure better than any other USA player. Her short and mid-range passes were crisp. Yohannes had the pre-assist in the build-up to the USA goal. 

Sam Coffey didn’t cover herself in glory defending on Japan’s opening goal, and needed to help out her defense more when it came to possessing the ball deep and controlling tempo. It was more of a quiet night rather than a poor night for the USA anchor. She went the full 90 minutes. 

Another head-scratching night for captain Lindsey Heaps, who wasn’t able to find teammates with passes or disrupt Japan’s passing off the ball. Her best moments came when she was a target in the air on crosses into the box. Fought right until the final whistle, but very little came off. 

Player (Club) caps/goals (age)

5
Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns) 31/1 (26)

4
Lindsey Heaps (Lyon, FRA) 163/36 (30)

6
Lily Yohannes (Ajax, NED) 4/1 (17)

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FORWARDS

You wouldn’t think on a night of poor attacking production that perhaps the best position group was the frontline. The support the attackers got was little to none, and the USA’s best moments came when these players collaborated. 

Yazmeen Ryan was arguably the USA’s best player against Japan. However, a lot of her most decisive play came on solo dribbles that didn’t always result in significant chance creation. A sensational cross-field pass to Ally Sentnor helped create a big chance early on, too. Could be seen to be guilty of trying to do too much by herself. Added a couple of long-range shots before coming off before the hour mark. 

Starting very brightly was the hero from the Colombia match, Cat Macario. Fluid as ever, despite starting as a center forward, her best moments came in deeper positions. Brilliant first control and ability to hold off pressure from Japan. The assist for Sentnor was magical. Nevertheless, a bit of fatigue set in and was removed in the 58th minute without much gas left in the tank. Couldn’t get close to Japanese defenders building passing rhythms. 

One of the biggest positives from the 2025 SheBelieves Cup will be Sentnor’s emergence as an elite international shooter. Two goals in three games for the Utah Royals winger and both of them were technically executed to perfection.

It was a big moment for Sentnor to score the equalizer so emphatically. Her off-the-ball work did leave much to be desired though. That lack of bite didn’t help her case when Japan needed slowing down and Hayes opted to sub her out at the break. 

Player (Club) caps/goals (age)

6
Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash) 7/0 (25)

6
Catarina Macario (Chelsea, ENG) 21/9 (25) 

6
Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals) 5/2 (21)

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SUBSTITUTES

The USA made six substitutions by the 68th minute, but it was difficult to remember exactly what the changes had achieved. The USA had been bright in spots in the first half, albeit vulnerable at the back. The USA stagnated in the second half and the bench couldn’t turn the tide. 

Arriving at halftime, Jaedyn Shaw took the USA’s first shot of the second half in the 83rd minute. A damning indictment of the lack of USA creativity after the break, as well as the elite pressing levels of the Japanese. 

Coming on for Dunn at left back, Jenna Nighswonger was a surprise change at the break. The Arsenal player was certainly being targeted by Japan. Long passes were consistently being hit into the space in behind her, but she rarely got too exposed. Failed to achieve much attacking thrust. 

Another tremendously ineffective showing by Korbin Albert. Coming on in the 58th minute, with the USA trailing 2-1, the ball was too slow when at her feet. Not enough precision, passes only going backwards, lacking tempo or forward movement. 

It felt as though the performance was primed for Lynn Biyendolo and Alyssa Thompson to come on off the bench and offer some threat level on the counterattack. However, Japan was smart to minimize their impact and soak up the pressure. 

Player (Club) caps/goals (age)

5
Jaedyn Shaw (NC Courage) 24/8 (20)

4
Jenna Nighswonger (Arsenal, ENG) 20/2 (24)

5
Lynn Biyendolo (Seattle Reign) 78/22 (31)

5
Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC) 15/1 (20) 

4
Korbin Albert (Paris St. Germain, FRA) 25/1 (21)

5
Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC) 67/3 (26)

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• TRIVIA: With an average of 50.9 caps entering the match, this was the least experienced USWNT starting XI to face Japan since July 1993 (18.9 caps).

• NOTABLE: Japan is the only team in the last 25 years to score against the USWNT in the opening two minutes of matches more than once.

• UP NEXT: The USWNT will host a pair of friendlies against Brazil on April 5 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and then on April 8, at PayPal Park in San Jose, California.

Feb. 26 in San Diego
USA 1 Japan 2. Goals: Sentnor 14; Momiki 2, Koga 50.
USA — Campbell; Fox, Sonnett, McKeown (Davidson, 68), Dunn (Nighswonger, 46); Coffey, Heaps, Yohannes (Albert, 58); Sentnor (Shaw, 46), Macario (Biyendolo, 58), Ryan (A.Thompson, 58).
Japan — Yamashita; Kitagawa (Koga, 46), Kumagai, Takarada, Moriya (Hayashi, 84); Hasegawa, Nagano (Miyazawa, 46); Fujino (Chiba, 57), Momiki (Matsukubo, 58), Hamano (Takahashi, 75); Tanaka.
Yellow cards: none. Red cards: none. 
Referee: Carly Shaw-MacLaren (Canada). AR1: Gabrielle Lemieux (Canada). AR2: Melissa Snedden (Canada). 4th Official: Alex Billeter (USA).
Att.: 17,188.

Stats:
USA / JPN
Possession: 49% / 51%
Shots: 10 / 9                                                                  
Shots on Goal: 5 / 4
Saves: 2 / 4
Corner Kicks: 2 / 1
Fouls: 4 / 8
Offside: 3 / 1

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