FUKUSHIMA, Japan (November 25, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s Deaf National Team used a brace from Emily Spreeman as well as goals from Holly Hunter and Erin Cembrale to earn a 4-0 win against hosts Japan in the Final of the Women’s Football Competition at the 2025 Deaflympics. The match was the last in the illustrious international careers of Spreeman and fellow veterans Sydney Andrews and Kate Ward, as well as the final game managed by head coach Amy Griffin and assistant Joy Fawcett as the Deaf WNT claimed a record fifth Deaflympics gold medal and eighth overall world championship title since beginning play in 2005.
The U.S. took a few minutes to settle into the match, but eventually came out blazing with four chances in as many minutes. In the ninth, Cembrale ran onto a loose ball and fired a rocket that Kasumi Kunishima pushed over the bar for a corner. A minute later, Paris Price’s cross from the left found Tia LaBrecque whose first-time effort clanged off the bar. In the 11th minute, a failed clearance fell to Cembrale at the top of the area, where she curled a shot from the left side of the box off the crossbar again. In the 12th minute, Mia White was slotted through on goal, but her powerful shot from the right was turned away by Kunishima.
After a frustrating period of chances and a few good Japan attacks, the U.S. finally broke through on the half-hour mark. Spreeman fed White in down the right, where she hopped a defender before getting to the endline and crossing to Hunter at the near post. The midfielder’s initial header was saved, but she was there to bang home the rebound inside the right post to give the USA a 1-0 lead.
A second nearly came in first-half stoppage time as Ani Khachadourian broke down the right and crossed looking for Cembrale in the box, but Japan’s Kanon Masuda was there to clear the danger and keep the U.S. lead to one goal at halftime.
The second goal did come three minutes into the second half. A nice build-up out of the back led to White getting on the ball, taking a touch and slotting Spreeman through the Japan backline. The USA striker sped forward before slotting home the 49th goal of her international career to make it 2-0.
Sitting one away from 50 goals in her final international match, Spreeman wasn’t quite ready to hang up her scoring boots. In the 65th minute, a progressive build-up through midfield led to White holding the ball before playing Gracie Fitzgerald in on the right. The veteran defender placed a picture-perfect cross into the box, finding Spreeman who nodded home her second of the match to hit the half century mark.
Cembrale joined the scoring club in the 74th minute. Continuing to prove dangerous, White got on the end of a cross that she clanged off the crossbar from the six. The ball was cleared out of the box, but collected by Cembrale who looped a beautiful effort into the top left corner to make it 4-0.
Starting the match on the bench, Ward replaced White in the 79th minute to earn her team-record 35th international appearance. The veteran midfielder helped the U.S. keep its fourth clean sheet in as many matches at the Deaflympics, finishing the game on-field with fellow retirees Andrews and Spreeman.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Match: U.S. Women’s Deaf National Team vs. Japan
Date: November 25, 2025
Competition: Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics – Gold Medal Match
Venue: J-Village, Fukushima, Japan
Kickoff: 12 p.m. local time (10 p.m. ET on Nov. 24)
Weather: 63 degrees, overcast
Attendance: 432
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | F |
| USA | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| JPN | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| USA – Holly Hunter | 30th minute |
| USA – Emily Spreeman (Mia White) | 48 |
| USA – Emily Spreeman (Gracie Fitzgerald) | 65 |
| USA – Erin Cembrale | 74 |
Lineups:
USA: 12–Sierra Kaspar; 3–Paige Beaudry, 11–Sydney Andrews, 5–Gracie Fitzgerald; 9-Ani Khachadourian (16–Emma Neff, 87), 15–Tia LeBrecque (7–Sabina Shysh, 87), 14–Paris Price, 8-Erin Cembrale (2-Kate Ward,79), 4–Holly Hunter; 17–Mia White (Capt.) (23-Sophie Post, 79), 10–Emily Spreeman
Subs not used: 1–Meghan Maiwald, 6–Melia Lenert, 13–Casey King, 18–Faith Wylie, 19–Chelsey Tumey, 20–Josephine Blazic, 21–Taegan Ferrin, 22–Payton DeGraw,
Head Coach: Amy Griffin
JPN: 12-Kasumi Kunishima; 2-Hirona Ishioka, 3-Ayaka Kujuro, 4-Kanon Masuda, 5-Natsumi Miyata (18-Haru Nishida 76), 6-Natsumi Abe, 7-Aya Komori (9-Nanami Sugimoto, 70), 8-Airi Sakai, 10-Oka Takagi, 11-Ai Iwabuchi, 14-Kana Shoji
Subs not used:1-Miwa Ito, 13-Rioka Sakakibara, 15-Miku Miyagi, 16-Haruka Takahashi, 17-Nana Kawabata
Head Coach: Yoshiki Yamamoto
Stats Summary: USA / JPN
Shots: 21 / 6
Shots on Goal: 8 / 2
Saves: 2 / 4
Corner Kicks: 5 / 1
Fouls: 5 / 2
Offside: 4 / 0
| Misconduct Summary | |
| None |
Officials:
Referee: Paul Kirby
Assistant Referee 1: Jason Taylor
Assistant Referee 2: Seiko Takeuchi
Fourth Official: Ali-Reza Shiripour