Riko Ueki and Japan were full of celebration on Thursday, as they lifted the SheBelieves Cup for the first time in their history.
Japan went head-to-head with the USA knowing a point or more against the host nation would earn them the title, after 4-0 and 4-1 victories over Australia and Colombia respectively saw them rise to the summit with one game remaining.
The USA also boasted two wins from their two matches, but Japan proved too strong for their opponents, claiming a 2-1 win in California courtesy of goals from Yūka Momiki and Tōko Koga either side of an Ally Sentnor strike.
West Ham United women’s team striker Ueki was an unused substitute in the tie, but celebrated with her side as they claimed the silverware.
Elsewhere in the competition, Manuela Paví’s Colombia clinched a 2-1 win over Katrina Gorry’s Australia in their final SheBelieves Cup clash.
Hammers skipper Gorry played all 90 minutes of the contest in California, while Paví was introduced on 64 minutes, as Wendy Bonilla’s goal after a quarter-of-an hour gave Colombia the lead at the break.
Hayley Raso’s deflected effort from inside the box levelled proceedings midway through the second half, but Colombia were also handed a slice of luck in their winner, as Catalina Usme’s strike took a wicked deflection over Teagan Micah, and into the back of the net.
The result meant Colombia finished their SheBelieves Cup campaign third, while Australia finished fourth in the table.
Meanwhile, Amber Tysiak again played a full 90 minutes for Belgium, but they were beaten by a 50th-minute Carole Costa penalty in their UEFA Women's Nations League tie with Portugal on Wednesday night.
That proved to be the only goal of the game in the clash at Den Dreef Stadion in Leuven, Belgium, leaving Tysiak’s side bottom of the Group A3 standings following their last-gasp defeat to Spain on Friday.
