00:01U.S. soccer on TNT is presented by Volkswagen. The U.S. women's national team is back in Seattle for
00:08the first time in almost nine years.
00:11Tonight here at Lumen Field, the second game in this three-match series against Japan.
00:15And after a 2-1 win in San Jose on Saturday, Emma Hayes fields a completely new lineup in the
00:21Pacific Northwest, and Claire Hutton captains the team.
00:2411 changes, and Claire Hutton at 20 years old. We were talking about it in pregame, the youngest to ever
00:32captain this team in the modern era.
00:35Congratulations to Claire. It says so much about how much this player has grown.
00:41Well, the United States at the weekend in San Jose got goals from Rose Lavelle and Lindsay Heaps.
00:47Japan pulled one back in the second half. There were some nervy moments towards the end,
00:52but the United States got off to a winning start in this three-match series.
00:56And now it's game two here in the Pacific Northwest. The rain falling heavily.
01:02Having come on at halftime in the opener at the She Believes Cup against Argentina,
01:05but only played just over 15 minutes before going off with a foot injury in that game.
01:11This is turned over towards Tanaka, and Tanaka from distance has a goal, and Thomas Joyce is able to keep
01:18it out.
01:21A little shaky from the start here for Tolis Joyce, and it is wet, it is soggy and dewy,
01:27and Billy Real gets caught up here, loses the ball, and this is something you're going to see a lot
01:32of in this, in that ball.
01:34And got her first international goal in the 5-0 win against Chile in January.
01:40Here's Patterson pushing forward down the right centre, and the middle couldn't quite get on that one,
01:44but it comes out towards Emma Sears. Sears with a chance, and the block comes in on the far side,
01:49out of play it goes off Hayashi, the Everton midfielder, and behind for a corner.
01:55Really good defensive play by Hayashi, and the United States, Avery Patterson has been itching to get in,
02:03and this is a good ball across, just can't quite connect, but Emma Sears, she takes...
02:11Sears.
02:12Have a glimpse of Avery Patterson's position at this moment, how high she was, now she's retracting back.
02:17High and central, Avery Patterson at that moment, as it comes here, the edge of the box,
02:24and Hamano with space on that right side, Hamano turning inside, looks for the finish!
02:31A moment of quality, from Micah Hamano, to give Japan the lead in Seattle,
02:40and it's Emma Hayes, former player, that does the damage.
02:50You see them here, win the ball, that counter-press, that's been so successful for Japan,
02:56hold the ball up, which they're so good at dealing with that pressure.
03:00Little one, two, give it back on the other side.
03:03A cut, and there it is, just under the bar.
03:09And watch this little cut by Hamano, which gets really real,
03:12to bite it, and she comes back, and sneaks it in near post.
03:17I do think, with it being wet, you see, Tullis-Joyce gets a little bit of a hand on it,
03:22but because it's wet, can't get enough on it.
03:26And Tullis-Joyce will be disappointed, gets beat on that near side, can't quite get up on it.
03:33But what a good finish by Hamano.
03:40So, Fallon Tullis-Joyce, new Angel City defender,
03:43back it goes to Tullis-Joyce, who finds Sonnet.
03:47Sonnet forward, space here in the midfield, as Jadon Shaw rolls it through.
03:50It's a good chance here for Emma Sears into the box,
03:53it's Emma Sears across goal!
03:54And Akulma just got a touch to that.
03:59I think Sears was looking for the far post to try and squeeze that one in,
04:04rather than the cross across the face of goal.
04:12Short turns, have her jersey pulled, and Emma Hayes with hands on head there,
04:16because I think she'd rather the referee would have allowed that one to continue,
04:19but the yellow card is shown.
04:21And so would of Jadon Shaw, you saw her put her hands out as well.
04:26There is the great turn by Jadon Shaw, and the tug afterwards, deservingly.
04:34And Miyazawa and Uweki as well, to replace Tanaka and Nagano.
04:41Uweki got the goal at the weekend.
04:43Here Japan coming forward down the left side.
04:48Twisting and turning, Tullis-Joyce has to make the shot.
04:52That's a save, I should say, after the shot there.
04:57And a free kick given.
05:03But Japan going close there to getting a second goal if it wasn't for Tullis-Joyce.
05:09And what a sequence that is, to free up.
05:12And Tullis-Joyce takes a good position here.
05:17Nice reaction save on that near post.
05:22Matsukubo does a little shimmy here.
05:25Gets on it to bite on that first.
05:27Keeps for Johannes, it's got to be the change made by Emma Hayes.
05:33This one is played over the top.
05:34Safiya Wilson getting onto it here.
05:36Wilson with a strike.
05:38And there is just what we were talking about.
05:41That is that ball across from her left foot.
05:43Teyana Davidson perfectly angled past to Safiya Wilson.
05:49And those are two players connecting that the U.S. hasn't had
05:55for a very long time.
05:57Another good look at it.
05:59Perfectly weighted.
06:00And it just gets beyond Safiya Wilson where she can't take that first putt, touch.
06:06But I was like, oh no, Gigi, your mom's on.
06:10I might have to go wake her up if she scores.
06:13Rodman trying to get in down the right side here.
06:15Options in the middle.
06:16Trinity Rodman in towards the edge of the box.
06:18Pushed across for Sandor.
06:19Sandor with another chance.
06:22And then Heaps trying to get there.
06:24Heaps for sure.
06:25It's Sorgas wide.
06:30Well, that's probably the best the U.S. have looked going forward in the second half.
06:35The attack springing into life here.
06:38Yeah, and immediately.
06:39Great ball up and over by Heaps.
06:43Trinity Rodman taking it all the way to the baseline.
06:45Taking a look.
06:46Sintner with the first look.
06:47Comes back to Heaps.
06:48Look at this little move here.
06:49A little boop boop.
06:51Oh my, what a lot.
06:52Putting some balls in the box.
06:54Sending runners.
06:55Picking up those second balls.
06:58If you're treating it as if you're in a tournament.
07:04Wilson.
07:05Now Hutton.
07:06Heaps.
07:10Alicentor inside for Heaps.
07:12Wrecki gets back there.
07:13A strong challenge.
07:14And the referee allows both to continue.
07:17As Hasegawa plays it forward.
07:19Masukubo chasing.
07:21As Heaps is still down.
07:27Seattle fans unhappy that the referee didn't get up for a kick there as the challenge came in on Heaps.
07:40Here is the challenge.
07:42I think that is indeed a foul.
07:45Full body.
07:46Wrecki landing on.
07:47Within this squad.
07:48Got the chance to play in a meaningful match against a high caliber opponent.
07:52And she also knows with nine changes as Japan made.
07:55Eleven changes for the United States.
07:57Nine for Japan.
07:58They still, similar to the United States, have the depth to play a really good second game.
08:03Rodman forward towards Wilson.
08:05Wilson tries to square it for Cento.
08:07The cooler guy gets the block in.
08:09Rodman picks this one up here down the right side.
08:12Clear away once more.
08:13Only as far as Claire Hutton.
08:15Hutton's ball in towards Heaps in the back post.
08:17The flag is up to our side.
08:22Better urgency by the United States there though.
08:26They're pressing.
08:27They're winning it back.
08:28Trinity Rodman is getting some numbers in.
08:31Claire Hutton realizes Heaps on that back post.
08:34Ooh, that one is close.
08:36That is tight.
08:48One well by Hutton.
08:51This is Heaps.
08:53Hutton.
08:54For Rodman.
08:57Segawa gets in and cleans things up as it goes out to the far side.
09:01A long ball forward for Ueki to chase.
09:04Will there be time for Tullis Joyce to get this one forward here?
09:07Davidson.
09:08The closing seconds in Seattle.
09:12And Giselle Thompson with one last opportunity here.
09:17Fine Lindsay Heaps.
09:18The referee with a check of the watch.
09:22It's defeat for the United States in Seattle as they lose by a goal to nil against Japan.
09:29A first defeat since last October.
09:34A ten match winning run comes to a close.
09:36And you can see what it means to the Japan staff and players.
09:42First time the United States fails to score since Wembley in November of 2024.
09:50Yeah, and that stat right there is a good one, isn't it?
09:52Second loss.
09:53Not a good one for the United States, but an interesting one.
09:56Second loss in the last three matches versus Japan.
10:00And you see the frustration in Emma Hayes' face.
10:04You see the frustration with some of these younger players.
10:07But these are the moments, as you mentioned, Luke.
10:10These are the moments that right now you don't have to win.
10:14But you're going to grow from this.
10:16When you need to win is in November and in the summer of 2027.
10:20And that is what matters.
10:21And to have the courage to say, as Emma Hayes has done four different times,
10:25there's only been nine total, 11, in terms of a lineup change.
10:31Nine times that has happened, where you swap out the entire lineup.
10:34She's done it four on her watch.
10:36And she knows, I need to grow this next group.
10:39And I like it.
10:41I like that they're tested.
10:42I like that they're getting a taste of loss and what that feels like.
10:46Because it stays in your brain, that feeling.
10:49And you don't want it come qualifying time and World Cup time.
10:52Well, the first game in San Jose went the way of the United States.
10:56Japan getting one back here in Seattle.
10:58And the three-match series closes in Denver on Friday.
11:02U.S. Soccer on TNT is presented by Volkswagen.
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