USA v Japan match preview
USA manager Mauricio Pochettino expects Japan to pose a “similar challenge” to South Korea after his side lost 2-0 to the Taegeuk Warriors in New Jersey on Saturday, when new LAFC signing Son Heung-min contributed a goal and assist during a particularly unconvincing first half by the hosts.
“We need to be positive because, in the second half, I thought the team played really well,” said Pochettino.
“We only [allowed] one shot on target and the team showed character. If I put the rest of it aside, I am so pleased with the way we are evolving from [July’s] Gold Cup, with a different roster and players starting to understand what we expect from them.
“It was difficult against a team that is really good. There is a lot to be pleased with. We’re disappointed with the result but we need to take the many positives.”
Japan are the visitors to Ohio as the 2026 Fifa World Cup co-hosts continue their preparations against opponents ranked two places below them at 17th in the standings.
The Samurai Blue qualified for the finals with a 2-0 win over Bahrain in March and shared a 0-0 draw with 13th-ranked Mexico on Saturday, attempting two of the three attempts on target between the teams.
“We had the upper hand in one-on-one duels, loose balls and scoring chances,” said manager Hajime Moriyasu, via Kyodo News.
“But it was about finishing them off, and we need to have more shots.”
Captain Wataru Endo reckoned Japan put Mexico “on the back foot” and “created chances”. “I can rate highly our performance as we looked to initiate the action throughout,” the Liverpool midfielder added.
USA v Japan team news
Pochettino has called up 10 players with fewer than 10 caps each and 12 players from the run to the Gold Cup final.
Some senior players have been left out to spend more time with their clubs, including midfielders Johnny Cardoso – a new Atletico Madrid signing – and Weston McKennie at Juventus.
matchday mood pic.twitter.com/NxUC8FRNbr
— U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) September 6, 2025
Defender Sergino Dest and forward Folarin Balogun have returned from injury, with Dest one of the starters against Korea as part of a side featuring in-form Norwich City forward Josh Sargent, back in the squad for the first time since March.
Monaco’s Balogun was denied three times by goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-Woo during second-half added time.
Endo, Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma, Monaco wideman Takumi Minamino and Real Sociedad playmaker Takefusa Kubo are among the more high-profile names potentially involved for Japan.
Tomoya Ando – a defender for J1 League club Avispa Fukuoka – has been sidelined by injury since Moriyasu named his initial squad.
Crystal Palace forward Daichi Kamada and Nijmegen midfielder Kodai Sano have been later additions to the group, as has right-back Yukinari Sugawara, who is on loan to Werder Bremen from Southampton.
USMNT v Japan predicted line-ups
USA starting XI: Matt Freese, Sergino Dest, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Max Arfsten, Tyler Adams, Luca de la Torre, Timothy Weah, Diego Luna, Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun
Japan starting XI: Keisuke Osako, Tomoya Ando, Hayato Araki, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Henry Heroki Mochizuki, Wataru Endo, Daichi Kamada, Yuito Suzuki, Shuto Machino, Junya Ito, Daizen Maeda
How to watch USMNT v Japan: Live stream, TV channel
Kick-off on Tuesday is at 19:30 ET (16:30 PT/ 00:30 on Wednesday BST), with live coverage in the USA on NBC Sports and Fubo.
Fans can stream the game via Peacock, with subscriptions starting at $7.99 per month. Fubo plans start at $84.99 monthly, with a free trial available.
USA v Japan stats
- The USA have lost two and won one of the three meetings between the teams, with their victory coming on the only occasion they have hosted Japan, in San Francisco in 2006
- They are seeking a first win in four friendlies after losing 2-1 to Turkiye and 4-0 to Switzerland at home in June before their defeat by Korea
- The USMNT failed to score for the first time in seven matches on Saturday
- Their starting side averaged 31 caps and an age of 26 years and 272 days
- Sargent failed to net as a starter against Korea but has scored on all five of his Norwich appearances this season and has a total of six goals for the Canaries, including both in their 2-0 Championship win at Blackburn Rovers on August 30
- Japan are undefeated in five matches, beating South Korea 1-0, China 2-0, Hong Kong 6-1 and Indonesia 6-0 before their draw with Mexico
- They have not conceded for more than five hours and no team has scored more than once against them in any of their 17 fixtures since a 2-1 defeat to Iran in Qatar in February 2024
- Eight of Japan’s last 12 games have produced fewer than three goals
- Kubo has three goals and eight assists in the 24-year-old’s last 11 international appearances
- Japan are preparing to feature at an eighth consecutive edition of the finals, being ever-present since 1998 and reaching the last 16 on four occasions, including at the last two tournaments
USA v Japan prediction
Pochettino appeared to be putting a brave face on the USA’s defensive performance against Korea, which offered little to suggest they will improve on a record of seven defeats in their last eight matches against opponents inside the top 30 of Fifa’s rankings.
Expect them to struggle against a strong Japan side who can win 2-0 with a more clinical attacking display.
