By OkayGoal 
Pressure was on the U.S. men’s national team to deliver a victory against Japan on Tuesday night and Mauricio Pochettino’s squad answered the call.
Alex Zendejas and Folarin Balogun both scored goals as the USMNT defeated a rotated Japan squad 2-0 at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio. Christian Pulisic and Max Arfsten registered assists in the result, and goalkeeper Matt Freese finished the match with a five-save shutout.
It is the USMNT’s first victory over a Top-25 ranked team since defeating Mexico 2-0 in the 2024 CONCACAF Nations League Final and the result also marked Pochettino’s 10th victory in charge of the program.
Freese was up to the test early, denying Junya Ito’s dangerous cross from nestling into the bottom-left corner. Ito was waiting for a Japanese teammate to finish off the cross, but instead almost came close to celebrating a breakthrough goal.
Balogun was denied twice by Japan goalkeeper Keisuke Osako, coming close to finding the back of the net. Pulisic’s through-ball pass led to Balogun’s pair of powerful efforts but Osako repelled both of them to keep the score level.
The USMNT’s growing pressure though would lead to a first-half lead in the 30th minute. Arfsten created room on the left flank before delivering a cross into the box, allowing Zendejas’ one-time volley to fall into the bottom-left corner.
It marked Zendejas’ second international goal.
Freese kept the USMNT in front with a point-blank save in the 35th minute, denying Ito’s redirected effort in the middle of the box.
After being denied by Osako early in the second half, Pulisic would have a say in the USMNT’s second goal, teeing up Balogun for a 2-0 lead. The 26-year-old’s upfield pass snuck behind the Japan backline, allowing Balogun to drill a low shot across Osako and into the bottom-right corner.
It was Balogun’s first goal since the 2024 Copa America.
Substitutes Jack McGlynn and Damion Downs were denied efforts to add to the scoring with the crossbar repelling McGlynn’s left-footed curler and Osako stretching to reject Downs’ potential first international goal.
However, the USMNT would hang on for its first win since the Gold Cup semifinals, claiming a second all-time victory over Japan.
After a 1-1-0 September window, the Americans will return to action this October against Ecuador and Australia respectively.