The United States women's national team open their 2018 Tournament of Nations against Japan at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City on Thursday, hopeful they can go one better than last year's runner-up finish to Australia.
Brazil will be the other entrant in this year's American-hosted invitational as the same four teams return to the field, with the Selecao and Japan having failed to clinch a victory in last year's competition.
The Stars and Stripes beat Asako Takakura's side 3-0 when they met in the 2017 competition, but Japan clinched a 3-3 draw in Denver, Colorado one year prior to that and will hope for a battle as competitive this time around.