With a perfect group stage in the rearview mirror, the U.S. women’s national team now looks to tackle the unforgiving knockouts as the squad meets Japan in the quarterfinals at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Looking to reverse last summer’s disappointing Women’s World Cup exit, the USWNT secured three wins from three to top Group B. But the team is down a number of key players ahead of a difficult matchup, as Tierna Davidson and Jaedyn Shaw remain sidelined with fitness concerns, while Sam Coffey is suspended.
Still, the USWNT looks ready for a medal challenge as Emma Hayes has her roster cooking, having brushed aside a strong Group B at each attempt.
Japan, meanwhile, finished second in their group behind Spain, defeating Brazil and Nigeria after falling 2-1 to the defending Women’s World Cup champions.
The Sporting News is following the USA vs. Japan women’s soccer match live, providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.
USWNT vs. Japan live score
| Score | Goal scorers | |
| USA | – | – |
| Japan | – | – |
Kickoff: 3 p.m. local (9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT)
Location: Parc des Princes (Paris, France)
Referee: Tess Olofsson (SWE)
Starting lineups (predicted):
USA (4-3-3, right to left): Naeher (GK) — Fox, Girma, Sonnett, Dunn — Horan, Albert, Lavelle — Rodman, S. Smith, Swanson.
Japan (5-3-2, right to left): Yamashita (GK) — Moriya, Takahashi, Kumagai, Ishikawa, Kitagawa — Hamano, Hasegawa, Hayashi — Tanaka, Ueki.
USWNT vs. Japan live updates, highlights from 2024 Olympics
1 hour 15 mins to kick: While lineups have not yet been announced, U.S. Soccer has revealed that Jaedyn Shaw has proven fit to return to the matchday squad after missing the group stage with a leg injury suffered in pre-tournament training. Yet Tierna Davidson has not recovered from the knee contusion she suffered in the second match, so alternate Emily Sams remains in the squad.
Forward Jaedyn Shaw returns to the matchday roster after missing the group stage with a leg injury. Midfielder Croix Bethune, who was activated in her absence, returns to the alternate list.
Emily Sams remains part of the matchday squad in place of Tierna Davidson (leg…
— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) August 3, 2024
1 hour 30 mins to kick: This will be the second meeting between the U.S. women and Japan just this calendar year. They met on April 6 in the semifinals of the SheBelieves Cup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with the United States winning 2-1 in come-from-behind fashion in front of the largest domestic USWNT crowd since the 1999 Women’s World Cup final.
The Japan women has only beaten the United States once, coming in the 2012 Algarve Cup. However, they did win the 2012 Women’s World Cup final against the USWNT, triumphing on a penalty shootout after what officially goes down as a 2-2 draw.
1 hour 45 mins to kick: The U.S. women will go with their whites again today, which they’ve worn in every Olympics match to this point.
Wearing White in Paris ⚪️ pic.twitter.com/vymv1T2nvI
— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) August 3, 2024
2 hours to kickoff: The front three of Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, and Trinity Rodman have carried the United States to this point, scoring seven of their eight goals in the Olympics thus far and 14 of 16 since Emma Hayes took over. It has all three players in the mix for the tournament’s top goal scorer award, as they chase Marie-Antoinette Katoto of France.
The attacking onslaught represents a stunning turnaround under new head coach Emma Hayes, after the U.S. had massive issues getting the attacking unit involved at last summer’s Women’s World Cup.
Mallory Swanson gets her third of the #ParisOlympics to put the #USWNT up 2-1! 😤
📺USA Network and Peacockpic.twitter.com/Mc3wGiUtGg
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) July 28, 2024
USWNT vs. Japan kickoff time
This quarterfinal match from the 2024 Summer Olympics kicks off from Parc des Princes on Saturday, August 3 at 3 p.m. local time in Paris, France. Here’s how that time translates across some of the major territories around the globe:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA/Canada | Sat, Aug. 3 | 9 a.m. ET |
| USA/Canada | Sat, Aug. 3 | 6 a.m. PT |
| UK | Sat, Aug. 3 | 2 p.m. BST |
| Australia | Sat, Aug. 3 | 11 p.m. AEST |
| India | Sat, Aug. 3 | 6:30 p.m. IST |
UWNT vs. Japan lineups, team news, starting 11
Emma Hayes said she will give as much recovery time as possible for injured duo Tierna Davidson and Jaedyn Shaw to pass fit, and that has helped Shaw return to the squad after missing out on the entire group stage with a leg injury. Thus, Croix Bethune returns to the alternate list, although Emily Sams remains as Davidson is still sidelined.
The U.S. also will be without midfield anchor Sam Coffey, who triggered a suspension for yellow card accumulation with an early booking in the group finale against Australia. That likely means Korbin Albert will be starting in midfield, having scored a banger last time out.
USA projected starting lineup (4-3-3): Naeher (GK) — Fox, Girma, Sonnett, Dunn — Horan, Albert, Lavelle — Rodman, S. Smith, Swanson.
USA subs (7): (Lineups released one hour prior to kickoff)
Japan are without Angel City forward Jun Endo, who continues to recover from a torn ACL suffered earlier this year.
Head coach Futoshi Ikeda has started three different players at left wing-back so far. He had a quick hook for Brighton winger Kiko Seike, withdrawing her at halftime of their opener against Spain, while Toko Koga started against Brazil and Kikaru Kitagawa got the nod against Nigeria.
Japan projected starting lineup (5-3-2): Yamashita (GK) — Moriya, Takahashi, Kumagai, Ishikawa, Kitagawa — Hamano, Hasegawa, Hayashi — Tanaka, Ueki.
Japan subs (7): (Lineups released one hour prior to kickoff)
USWNT vs. Japan live stream, TV channel
| TV Channel | Streaming | |
| USA | Telemundo | Fubo USA, Peacock |
| UK | discovery+ | |
| Australia | — | Stan Sport, 9Now |
| Canada | — | CBS Sports app/website |
| India | — | — |
In the United States, this match will be televised on Telemundo in Spanish, which is available to stream on Fubo.
An English-language broadcast can be found on NBC’s home for the Olympics, streaming service Peacock.
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