The United States women’s soccer team missed the chance to claim a sixth consecutive SheBelieves Cup title after losing 2-1 to Japan in Wednesday’s tournament finale.

The stakes are in somewhat of a contrast with the reality, though -- win, lose or draw, this is far from the end of the road for a youth-focused version of the U.S., with today's game serving as more of a stepping stone than anything else.

Emma Hayes lost her first match as manager of the United States as Japan won the SheBelieves Cup. The US were bidding for a record-extending sixth successive title in the annual round-robin invitational tournament.