At last, the 2025 SheBelieves Cup is done and dusted. Matchday 3 saw the USWNT succumb to a 1-2 defeat against Japan as their five-year tournament streak came to an end. While the whole team is in a somber moment, Emma Hayes has stepped forward to offer special commendation for her players. 

Accept it; the Stars and Stripes were already in a difficult-to-advance or retreat situation. Not a win but at least a draw was expected. But the surprising turn of events saw a completely unexpected outcome. Then again, Hayes has been able to find both a positive and negative outcome from today’s result. 

“The pace of the game and our players being in preseason, I think that showed… we can track pressure well,” said Emma Hayes in the aftermath of the clash, while speaking with TBS and as compiled by journalist Kyle Bonn on X.

The negative, you ask? Well, it’s something that Hayes had anticipated before the game. But before we tell you that, let’s hear her notes first. “I don’t think we break the press well enough. That’s something I want to get right over time,” emphasized Hayes. 

Are any bells ringing? Just before the game, the 48-year-old had expressed her concern regarding her team’s unified gameplay. “It’s fair to say Japan, as a team, are more played in together than we are,” remarked the former Chelsea boss, praising the rivals. She had already predicted that it was going to be a “difficult” affair. 

Well, part of the blame goes to the team’s sloppy displays, which led the USWNT to concede two goals. Japan wasted no time taking the lead, with Yuka Momiki breaking the deadlock within two minutes. Ironically, this wasn’t the first time they struck early against the U.S., having previously stunned Hayes’ side with a first-minute goal at the Summer Olympics. 

Ally Sentnor responded swiftly, delivering a crucial equalizer just 10 minutes later. However, her efforts fell short as Japan regained the lead early in the second half, courtesy of Togo Koga. Before the USWNT could mount a comeback, the final whistle sealed their fate—Emma Hayes and her squad suffered a home defeat—a historic one, mind you!

Japan finally puts a break on Emma Hayes’ hot streak with the USWNT

After 15 games and 2 draws, Emma Hayes has finally lost her first match with the USWNT. Sounds so weird, right? Having joined the Stars and Stripes initially before a couple of matches, the streak was extended not just with a 6-on-6 victory in the Paris Olympics but beyond the next two windows. 

Not all takeaways from the game were negative. Ally Sentnor reached a notable milestone, as her goal contributions in all three matches placed her in an exclusive list alongside Alex Morgan, Christen Press, and a few others. 

Japan also etched its name in the record books. They became the only team in the last 25 years to score against the USWNT within the first two minutes of a match on multiple occasions. They also previously found the net within 30 seconds earlier in the 2024 SheBelieves Cup. Moreover, they secured their first-ever victory on U.S. soil after 18 attempts. Only Brazil has endured a longer winless streak away against the U.S., with 22 unsuccessful tries.

Be that as it may, it is indeed quite a remarkable achievement for Japan. As for the USA, it seems they still have a lot to reflect on the takeaways from their defeat.