By Ruben Santa Cruz Sporting Kansas City and Seattle Sounders played out a tense, hard-fought 1–1 draw in a match defined less by flair and more by structure, discipline, and missed opportunities. Both sides had moments of control, but neither could find the decisive edge despite a frantic and chance-filled second half. First Half – Fast Start Seattle Strike Early Seattle wasted no time asserting themselves. 2’ – Goal (0–1): Paul Rothrock opened the scoring with a composed finish from the...

By Ruben Santa-Cruz Japan secured a disciplined 1–0 victory over the United States, with an early first-half strike proving enough to separate the sides in a tightly contested match. The decisive moment came in the 27th minute, when Maika Hamano finished brilliantly with a left-footed effort into the top right corner after being set up by Maya Hijikata. The goal capped off a confident opening spell from Japan, who looked sharp and organized in possession. The United States responded with...