USMNT vs Japan prediction, projected lineups, and how to watch | OneFootball

A few days after suffering a frustrating 2-0 loss to South Korea, the USMNT is back in action on Tuesday night against Japan. After also losing the Gold Cup final in July, the Americans are at risk of losing their third straight game. This would be the second three-game losing streak under Mauricio Pochettino, who continues to be criticized amidst the USMNT’s struggles.

As for Japan, they are coming off a scoreless draw with Mexico on Saturday. Back in June, the Japanese capped off a successful World Cup qualification campaign, securing a spot in the field of 48 at the 2026 World Cup next summer.

In 16 qualifying matches, Japan registered 13 wins, two draws, and just one defeat. Despite a quarterfinal defeat at the 2023 Asian Cup, Japan is arguably the best team in Asia right now.

This will be the first time the USMNT and Japan have squared off since a September 2022 friendly. That was a 2-0 win for Japan in the lead-up to the 2022 World Cup. Of course, only three Americans who played in that game are on the roster for Tuesday’s game with the Japanese.

How to Watch USMNT vs Japan

USMNT vs Japan projected lineup

After most of the USMNT regulars started against South Korea, Pochettino may go with a different look against Japan. Some players on the fringe of the World Cup roster discussion could get an audition, which should lead to several changes in the lineup.

USMNT Lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left)

Matt Freese (GK) - Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Max Arfsten - Sean Zawadzki, Luca de la Torre - Jack McGlynn, Diego Luna, Christian Pulisic - Folarin Balogun

Japan Lineup (3-4-2-1, right to left)

Zion Suzuki (GK) - Ko Itakura, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Ayumu Seko - Kaoru Mitoma, Wataru Endo, Kodai Sano, Yuito Suzuki - Saizen Maeda, Takumi Minamino - Shuto Machino

USMNT vs Japan prediction

Coming into this international break, South Korea was supposed to be the slightly easier opponent compared to Japan. Obviously, that doesn’t bode well for the Americans, who won’t be feeling particularly confident after Saturday’s loss. That makes it hard to believe the USMNT can pull off a win.

To be fair, Japan didn’t play its best game on Saturday, managing just two shots on target in a scoreless draw with Mexico. They are also in the preparation stage for the World Cup, valuing performances over results. However, the Japanese will also be disappointed to play two games in North America without finding the back of the net.

While Japan lacks one prolific international goal scorer, they have a collection of talented attacking players who play in top European leagues. Given some of the shortcomings the USMNT showed against Korea, combined with some lineup changes, the Japanese should create some scoring chances. If the U.S. can’t be more clinical in the final third, another loss seems likely.