After a bruising 2–0 loss to South Korea, the U.S. men’s national team delivered a much-needed response, beating Japan 2–0 at Lower.com Field in Columbus. Alejandro Zendejas opened the scoring and Folarin Balogun added a second as Mauricio Pochettino’s side looked sharper, more cohesive and—crucially—more decisive than they did just days earlier versus South Korea. 

How It Unfolded

Pochettino made five changes to the XI and shifted the shape to a three-center-back base that gave the U.S. better defensive balance and allowed wing-backs to provide width. The changes worked, with Alex Zendejas getting on the end of a Max Arfsten cross with a volley in the first half to give the US an early lead. Folarin Balogun capped the scoring with a perfectly placed shot after a fine assist from Christian Pulisic. The U.S. defended well, limiting Japan to very few clear chances and finishing the night with a clean sheet. 

Statistically, the win mattered: it snapped a run of disappointing results vs. top-25 nations under Pochettino and restored some momentum ahead of a busy international calendar. The performance wasn’t flawless—goalkeeper Matt Freese had to make a few difficult saves early and late in the match, and the midfield could still find more cohesive control—but the overall picture was very encouraging. 

Tactical Takeaways

Pochettino’s switch to a back three (3-4-2-1) provided the structural improvement the team lacked vs. South Korea, especially with the current group of players. The three center backs offered cover when Japan probed centrally, while wing-backs (tasked with both defensive cover and attacking support) helped the U.S. occupy wide channels and overload Japan’s full-back areas. That balance allowed creative players—Zendejas and Pulisic, playing as double 10s, among them—to operate between the lines without exposing the back line to fast transitions.  Zendejas and Pulisic started in wide positions, but were given the freedom to cut inside when needed to impact the game.

Defensively the U.S. improved its compactness when they lost possession: Japan registered far fewer high-quality chances than they did in previous games, and the USMNT players appeared to have better communication and clearer responsibilities. Still, with one less player in the midfield, Tyler Adams occasionally looked troubled to disrupt Japan’s offensive central momentum on his own; only having recently fully recovered from his long-term injuries, we are not yet seeing vintage Tyler Adams.  Nevertheless, this version of Adams, coupled with the Seattle Sounders version of Christian Roldan that just won Leagues Cup over Messi’s Inter Miami, was enough to keep Japan at bay on this day.  Adams and Roldan pressed collectively, sometimes leaving transitional spaces that Japan tried—but largely failed—to exploit.

Max Arfsten and Alex Freeman continued their run in Pochettino’s system, but this time they were moved to their preferred left and right Wing-Back positions. Arften started on the left while Sergino Dest started on the right, marking his return to the National Team after an 11-month injury absence.  Arfsten had a few nervy moments on the defensive end early on, but his quality going forward was on full display in his step-over dribble and cross to the top of the box, where Zendejas met the cross with a first-time volley that found the bottom left corner of the net.  It is clear that in Pochettino’s eyes, Arfsten and Freeman are the primary backups to Antonee ‘Jedi’ Robinson and Sergino Dest; and with the recent injury troubles with both Jedi and Dest, it is good to see Arfsten and Freeman getting more and more comfortable in the lineup.

Players Whose Stock Is Up

Alex Zendejas — The winger/attacking mid seized his opportunity, getting on the scoresheet and offering creativity and directness in the final third. His goal and willingness to drive into space earned him strong praise and Man of The Match honors. 

Folarin Balogun — Back from a period out of the team, Balogun showed sharpness and poise, finishing clinically after a clever Pulisic assist. This performance, coupled by Josh Sargent’s continued woes in a USMNT shirt versus South Korea, move Balogun to the top of the striker depth chart.  While Ricardo Pepi will have something to say in the October and November camps, the starting #9 is now Balogun’s to lose. 

Chris Richards / 3-Center-Back Formation — The reconfigured defensive trio (including Tristan Blackmon and Tim Ream in rotation) delivered a composed team defensive effort; with Ream and Blackmon improved on their subpar performances versus South Korea, it was Richards’ positioning and recovery interventions that were the biggest factors in the success of this formation.  Richards has entrenched himself as the USMNT’s 1st-choice Center-Back.  The question remains, who will be playing alongside him come next Summer?

Matt Freese — Frese made several important saves that preserved the clean sheet, both early and late in the match.  While he had a couple of moments where he spilled the ball and allowed second chances, he did his primary job which was to keep the ball out of the net.  Several of his saves were high-level of difficulty, and ones we’ve seen Matt Turner unable to make in the recent past.  Therefore, Freese appears to have leapfrogged Turner as the USMNT’s starting goalkeeper, at least in Pochettino’s eyes.

Players Whose Stock Is Down

Josh Sargent — After starting against South Korea and struggling to impact the match, Sargent’s stock slipped further in light of Balogun’s sharp showing versus both South Korea and Japan. Where Sargent labored to find space, link play, or threaten goal, Balogun delivered with movement, composure, and an emphatic finish. The contrast was stark: one forward looked out of rhythm and hesitant, while the other seized his moment. If Pochettino is weighing striker depth charts, this week has clearly tipped the scales away from Sargent.

Diego Luna — Luna entered the September camp, and the Japan match, with a chance to make a statement, and grab hold of one of the attacking positions.  Yet too often he drifted out of the game, unable to impose his creativity in tight spaces. While his technical ability remains clear, the tempo and intensity at this level may have exposed his decision-making. With Alex Zendejas seizing his rare opportunity to start, the pressure is on Luna to show that he can replicate his Gold Cup form against higher-level opposition. 

Coach’s Performance: Pochettino’s Adjustments

Mauricio Pochettino drew mostly positive reviews for his willingness to change shape and personnel after the South Korea setback. The tactical pivot—opting for greater defensive security and clearer width—worked well against Japan’s rotated side and suggested that Pochettino and his staff are willing to experiment to find a reliable World Cup formula. Pochettino was seemingly forced into this adjustment, but he still made it; something the Gregg Berhalter refused to do in over 5 years as USMNT manager (aside from small parts of games).  However, Pochettino’s media posture and past results keep the margin for error slim; these friendlies are as much about building the right habits as they are about winning, but winning was much needed!

What This Means Going Forward

The 2–0 result is a meaningful confidence-booster after a demoralizing loss to South Korea.  It stopped a streak of losses to Top-25 teams, and restored some reason to have belief in “trusting the process.” Young or fringe players like Zendejas and Arfsten took their chances; defensive tweaks looked productive; and the team finished the window with a clean sheet—an important psychological boost. That said, consistent application of the back-three concept and tightened midfield pressing will be necessary as the USMNT prepares for tougher competitive tests against South American opponents in the months ahead.