USMNT vs Japan: Zendejas and Balogun fire 2-0 win in Columbus after South Korea setback
A sharper U.S. fixes the basics and finds its edge
Two goals, a clean sheet, and a different tone entirely. Three days after a flat loss to South Korea, the United States men’s national team beat Japan 2-0 at Lower.com Field in Columbus, pocketing a result that felt as much about control as it was about redemption. The changes Mauricio Pochettino made weren’t cosmetic. They reset the rhythm of the game, tightened the spacing, and gave the attack a clear route to goal.
The opening half told the story. The U.S. played quicker between the lines, the front three worked in tighter channels, and the fullbacks supported earlier in possession. Alejandro Zendejas broke the deadlock in the 30th minute with a clean, first-time volley—his timing perfect, his technique calm. The move started wide and stayed simple: Columbus All-Star Max Arfsten shaped a measured cross, Zendejas flashed to the penalty spot, and the finish tucked neatly into the far corner. That ended an eight-game scoring drought for the FC Dallas product and gave him his second goal in 13 U.S. caps.
Japan didn’t roll over. They rotated heavily after drawing Mexico 0-0 over the weekend—11 changes—and still carved out looks through Junya Ito and Yuito Suzuki. The most dangerous moment came when Ito slipped free inside the box, only for Matt Freese to explode off his line and swat away a close-range effort. Freese had more to do than the final score suggests, and each save steadied the U.S. back line.
After the break, the Americans leaned into their advantage. The press was cleaner—not nonstop, but better timed—with midfield lines stepping in unison. When the ball did break, the hosts used two and three-pass combinations to jump into space rather than forcing hopeful diagonals. The second goal rewarded that patience. In the 64th minute, Christian Pulisic split Japan’s defense with a perfectly weighted through ball, and Folarin Balogun took the pass in stride, squeezed the angle, and finished past Keisuke Osako. Simple idea, ruthless execution.
Jack McGlynn almost added gloss late with a long-range hit that rattled the woodwork. By then, the game had settled into the kind of controlled tempo Pochettino needed to see: secure in midfield, selective in transition, compact without the ball. Columbus delivered another wink to its “Dos a Cero” lore—even if that line usually gets saved for Mexico—because the vibe felt familiar: composed, clinical, and loud when it mattered.
If Saturday raised questions about the U.S.’s readiness for higher-tempo opponents, this was a cleaner answer. The five lineup adjustments injected energy and clarity. Arfsten’s service stood out. Zendejas’s movement sharpened the right side. McGlynn gave the team a calmer first pass into midfield. Freese made the kind of saves that change narratives. And young fullback Alex Freeman, asked to keep his side disciplined, rarely looked out of place.
Context matters. Japan came in ranked 17th in the world and, even with a rotated XI, can punish sloppy spacing. The U.S. didn’t give them many freebies. The distances from back line to midfield were tighter; the gaps between the wingers and the No. 9 closed quicker; and Pulisic drifted into pockets where he could dictate tempo rather than chasing touches. That’s how you build chance quality without racking up desperate shots.
There was also a clear adjustment in how the U.S. handled rest defense—the shape the team holds when it attacks but braces for a turnover. With a more conservative holding midfielder and quicker recovery runs from the fullbacks, Japan’s counters never fully stretched the back line. When they did threaten, Freese’s positioning handled the rest.
The win won’t erase the South Korea tape, and it shouldn’t. It does, however, point to a blueprint. Pochettino leaned into players who value the ball, asked his forwards to compress the field vertically, and let Pulisic pick his spots as a creator. When the U.S. keeps the game in front of them and resists the urge to rush every attack, the chances come. Tuesday night proved it.
What it means now—and who made a statement
- Standout performers: Zendejas for his timing and finish; Balogun for a striker’s craft on tight angles; Pulisic for the assist and control between lines; Freese for the saves that preserved the platform; Arfsten for the delivery and defensive work rate on his flank.
- Tactical notes: The front line stayed narrower, inviting overlaps and underlaps instead of isolated wing play. The midfield pivot sat a touch deeper, which helped break up Japan’s first pass in transition. The team’s pressing was more selective, focused on triggers rather than empty sprints.
- Fringe players: Freese, Freeman, and McGlynn used a high-visibility night to nudge their way into the conversation for 2026 depth. Performances like this don’t lock in roster spots, but they stick in a coach’s memory when selections tighten.
- Momentum check: After a bruising weekend, this was a much-needed reset. The U.S. closes the September window with confidence and a clearer sense of roles heading into October’s matches against Ecuador and Australia.
- Columbus factor: The setting mattered. Lower.com Field has quickly built a reputation for big nights, and another 2-0 felt on brand for a city that has long been part of this team’s identity.
There are still boxes to tick before 2026. The U.S. will need to sustain this composure against opponents who won’t rotate as heavily, and the attack must keep finding multiple scorers—not just leaning on Pulisic’s creation. But this was the response you want: a complete team performance, better spacing, smarter pressing, and a reminder that when the U.S. keeps its structure, it looks like a squad that expects wins.
File this one under necessary and instructive. The work now shifts to reinforcing the habits that turned the tide: keep the ball moving early, trust the press when the trigger comes, and let the creators cook in the half-spaces. Do that, and nights like this—USMNT vs Japan, two goals, clean sheet—stop feeling like a bounce-back and start feeling like the baseline.