SAN DIEGO (AP) — Toko Koga scored early in the second half and Japan handed the United States its first loss under coach Emma Hayes with a 2-1 victory Wednesday night in the SheBelieves Cup title game.
The Americans had not lost since last February when they fell 2-0 to Mexico in the CONCACAF W Gold Cup. The loss also snapped the U.S. team's string of five titles in the SheBelieves Cup, now in its 10th year.
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Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita watches as a shot from United States forward Catarina Macario just misses during the first half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Japan defender Saki Kumagai, center right, holds the trophy as teammate forward Mina Tanaka holds her Most Valuable Player trophy after Japan defeated the United States to win the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Japan forward Mina Tanaka poses with the Most Valuable Player trophy after Japan defeated the United States to win the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Players for Japan celebrate after defeating the United States to win the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Japan defender Hana Takahashi, below left, raises the trophy as teammates pretend not to notice during celebrations after defeating the United States to win the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Japan defender Toko Koga, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the United States during the second half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
United States midfielder Jaedyn Shaw, right, reacts after a missed opportunity to score against Japan during the second half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Japan midfielder Fuka Nagano, right, battles United States forward Catarina Macario for a ball during the first half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Japan midfielder Yui Hasegawa (14) battles United States forward Yazmeen Ryan for the ball during the first half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
United States midfielder Lindsey Heaps heads the ball on goal as Japan defender Hikaru Kitagawa defends during the first half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita watches as a shot from United States forward Catarina Macario just misses during the first half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
United States forward Catarina Macario, left, shoots and misses as Japan defender Hikaru Kitagawa defends during the first half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Japan defender Toko Koga, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the United States during the second half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
The United States and Japan were both undefeated in the tournament heading into the final match at Snapdragon Stadium.
“Of course we want to win. No one wants to lose these things,” Hayes said. “But we didn't put out our most experienced team. We put out a team we're hoping to develop, and our goals go beyond just the SheBelieves.”
The U.S. had been unbeaten in the last 14 games against Japan. The Americans’ last loss to Japan came in 2012.
Japan took the early lead with Yuka Momiki's goal in the second minute. But Ally Sentnor tied it for the U.S. in the 14th with an assist from Catarina Macario.
Sentnor, the U.S. Soccer Young Player of the Year, has scored in both her starts for the team.
Japan pulled back in front on Koga's goal in the 50th minute. She had come into the match as a second-half substitute.
“They were a higher level to us throughout the whole evening,” said Hayes, now 15-1-2 as the U.S. coach.
Hayes, who took over the team late last May and led the team to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, made 10 changes to the roster she used in a 2-1 victory over Australia on Sunday.
Jane Campbell got her eighth career start in goal for the national team as Hayes looks to develop goalkeepers after Alyssa Naeher's retirement last year.
The U.S. team was playing in the tournament without the trio of Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman and Sophia (Smith) Wilson. Rodman is rehabbing a back injury, Smith was not yet in game form and Swanson was out for personal commitments.
“I'd love to have all of our top players available, I want that, but I can only pick the players that are available," Hayes said. "I think you want to learn this lesson now. This is the game I really wanted for us to really see where players who have played less that five matches for the national team, what's really missing for them, whether its in possession or out of possession.”
Japan was coming off a 4-1 victory over Colombia on Sunday. Mina Tanaka, who plays for the Utah Royals in the National Women's Soccer League, led all players in with four goals and three assists and was named tournament MVP.
Colombia got its first win in its SheBelieves finale earlier Wednesday. Wendy Bonilla and Catalina Usme both scored in the 2-1 victory over Australia.
The Matildas, playing without star Sam Kerr, were winless in the tournament. Kerr has not played for the national team since ACL surgery last January.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer
Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita watches as a shot from United States forward Catarina Macario just misses during the first half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Japan defender Saki Kumagai, center right, holds the trophy as teammate forward Mina Tanaka holds her Most Valuable Player trophy after Japan defeated the United States to win the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Japan forward Mina Tanaka poses with the Most Valuable Player trophy after Japan defeated the United States to win the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Players for Japan celebrate after defeating the United States to win the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Japan defender Hana Takahashi, below left, raises the trophy as teammates pretend not to notice during celebrations after defeating the United States to win the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Japan defender Toko Koga, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the United States during the second half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
United States midfielder Jaedyn Shaw, right, reacts after a missed opportunity to score against Japan during the second half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Japan midfielder Fuka Nagano, right, battles United States forward Catarina Macario for a ball during the first half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Japan midfielder Yui Hasegawa (14) battles United States forward Yazmeen Ryan for the ball during the first half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
United States midfielder Lindsey Heaps heads the ball on goal as Japan defender Hikaru Kitagawa defends during the first half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita watches as a shot from United States forward Catarina Macario just misses during the first half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
United States forward Catarina Macario, left, shoots and misses as Japan defender Hikaru Kitagawa defends during the first half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Japan defender Toko Koga, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the United States during the second half of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament match Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
