SAN JOSE — Rose Lavelle is making herself a second home in San Jose.
The 30-year-old Ohio native is quickly making a habit of scoring consequential goals at PayPal Park.
Five months after scoring the game-winner in the NWSL championship match in November, she did it again on Saturday afternoon. Lavelle scored the opening goal and assisted on the game-winner as the United States women’s national team beat Japan 2-1 in the first of three friendlies contested between the nations during this international window.
“I have some good memories on this field,” Lavelle said. “So it was fun to be back. It was a good game. We can take some learnings. It was a really good opportunity for us to play a tough team, and we get to play against them two more times over here.”
United States’ Rose Lavelle (16) pressures Japan’s Moeka Minami (3) during the second half of an international friendly soccer match at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Lavelle, in an echo of her game-winner in the NWSL championship, volleyed in a close finish off an assist from Trinity Rodman in the ninth minute to open the scoring.
The goal off the bouncing loose ball came in the same stadium where Lavelle scored the lone goal in Gotham FC’s title win over Washington.
It was Lavelle’s 100th career start for the national team, and she certainly made it count.
Lindsey Heaps padded the United States’ advantage with another finish off a loose ball in the 48th minute. The ball bounded around in the box, with Lavelle and others getting touches on it before Heaps buried the finish.
Lavelle was credited with the assist.
Substitute Riko Ueki scored for Japan in the 61st minute off a header give-and-go with teammate and fellow sub Honoka Hayashi, giving the United States something to think about down the stretch. But the Americans held on thanks to goalkeeper Claudia Dickey, who saved a close-range shot from Ueki in the 79th minute.
Bay FC midfielder Claire Hutton subbed into the game in the 85th minute. She did not record any statistics but drew one of the loudest cheers of the game when she entered.
Japan’s Riko Ueki (9) is fouled by United States’ Claire Hutton (15) during the second half of an international friendly soccer match at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
“It’s so cool now to be living in San Jose, and to know that I do have that support behind me,” Hutton said. “How much I’ve heard about this city being such a sports city, and knowing that I am supported behind that is pretty neat.
“It’s pretty cool. Insane. I’m a girl from upstate New York, so now living in California, even though my family’s not here, it still feels like I’m surrounded by people that love me and people that are always supporting.”
Hutton did not enter until very late in the match – it was almost over – but U.S. coach Emma Hayes said hers was not a charity appearance made simply to appease the home fans.
“I can’t pick teams based on the cities we’re in,” Hayes said. “I’m a professional, and the players have to accept that we’re preparing to qualify for a World Cup. So that is always of the highest order. Of course, if I can get players from the bench, it depends on the state of the game. Claire came into the game because it required something at that moment in time I felt she could bring.
U.S. head coach Emma Hayes, right, high-fives her players after their 2-1 win of an international friendly soccer match against Japan at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
“I don’t always disappoint the fans. But also, I’m here to do a job.”
San Jose native and Stanford alumna Naomi Girma, who played the entire game at center back, received the captain armband from Heaps during the U.S.’s 85th minute substitutions.
The match was a homecoming three years in the making for Girma, who estimated she had 50 to 60 friends and family in attendance. It was her first on-field appearance in the Bay Area since the Americans’ July 2023 World Cup sendoff match against Ghana.
United States’ Naomi Girma (4) looks to pass against Japan during the first half of an international friendly soccer match at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
She missed the United States’ San Jose friendly against Brazil in April 2025.
“I love being back here,” Girma said. “I love playing in San Jose. Got to go home a couple times while we were here, so that was really nice. Just to see family, and then see a lot of people at the game who I haven’t seen in a while. It felt even more special after not being able to come to the camp last year. So I feel grateful to be here and happy.”
Her support group had plenty of company. The match was attended by an announced crowd of 17,435 fans, a near sellout of PayPal Park.