Seattle roars as 36,128 watch U.S. debut new Lumen grass in 1-0 loss to Japan

SEATTLE — Maika Hamano scored and Japan beat the U.S. women’s national team 1-0 in a friendly on Tuesday tight to snap the Americans’ 10-game winning streak.

The loss was the first for the U.S. since Oct. 23, 2025, a 2-1 setback to Portugal, and marked the first time the Americans lost in a shutout in 42 games.

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The U.S. had won 10 straight matches for the first time since 2023 after its 2-1 victory against Japan on Saturday.

Before Saturday, Japan had won the last meeting with the United States 2-1 in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup final.

Hamano fooled Lilly Reale, and then booted a left-footed shot over goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce’s outstretched left hand in the 27th minute.

Japan goalkeeper Akane Okuma collects the ball against United States midfielder Jaedyn Shaw during the first half of an international friendly soccer match Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

U.S. coach Emma Hayes made sweeping changes to the lineup she had used on Saturday in San Jose, resting players including Sophia Wilson and Trinity Rodman, who started in the previous game.

Wilson and Rodman entered as substitutes in the 65th minute, as did Tierna Davidson and Gisele Thompson. Davidson had not played for the United States since February 2025, after tearing her ACL in a match with Gotham FC last March.

Wilson played for the second straight match after the birth of her daughter. She had not played for the U.S. since October 2024.

Tuesday marked the first time the U.S. women’s national team played on the new grass that has been installed at Lumen Field for this summer’s World Cup. The women’s team had not been to Lumen since 2017 because of the stadium’s artificial turf.

The announced crowd was 36,128 for the game, which broke the record for a standalone women’s match in Seattle. Megan Rapinoe’s retirement match with the Seattle Reign in 2023 drew 34,130 fans.

The finale of the three-game series between the U.S. and Japan is slated for Friday in Commerce City, Colorado.