Yuka Momiki scored a sneaky goal against the United States within the first two minutes in the final match of the SheBelieves Cup in late February. The goal, which was assisted by Yui Hasegawa, gave Nadeshiko Japan an early lead, and the team eventually won the match 2-1 and claimed the tournament title.
The tally was also the result of a paradigm shift within the Japanese team.
In the runup to the SheBelieves Cup, Nadeshiko Japan coach Nils Nielsen, leading the team at a tournament for the first time since being appointed, said his primary focus was on returning Japan to its previous lofty stature in global soccer. Japan, which was third in the world rankings as recently as 2024, was ranked eighth before the SheBelieves Cup and jumped to fifth after winning the tournament.
