Player Spotlight | Japanese Internationals Make History in Royals’ 3-2 Win Over Bay FC

By: Javier Mico-Crump

After the previous battle between the 2024 expansion sides ended in a disappointing 0-0 draw for both teams back in May, Friday’s rematch couldn’t have been more different. In a back-and-forth thriller that featured five goals, Utah Royals FC returned to winning ways in front of its home fans at America First Field, claiming a 3-2 win over Bay FC. The result moved the Royals into second in the NWSL table, maintained Utah’s historic unbeaten streak against Bay (4-0-2, W-L-T), and set a new franchise record for wins in a season with 11.

Utah native Courtney Brown hit a major milestone on Friday, subbing on to make her 50th career NWSL appearance. Brown was drafted out of the University of Utah to the Washington Spirit, where she played the first two years of her career before returning home to Utah in January of 2026. She hit the milestone on her 11th appearance as a Royal, and has been a reliable contributor since her arrival. Along with the milestone, Friday’s match was headlined by the Royals’ Japanese stars, who scored three goals en route to the win.

Japanese Internationals Light Up The Scoreboard

With goals from Miyabi, Narumi and Mina Tanaka, Friday was the first time three Japanese players have scored in the same game in NWSL history. Excelling in their roles, each of the three has become a vital part of the Royals’ success this season, with their energy and positivity off the field being just as crucial as their skill and poise on it.

Miyabi got Utah’s first of the night in the 8th minute, responding to Bay FC’s opener a mere 63 seconds later. Darting into the box in search of an opportunity, Miyabi received the ball after a deflected shot from Cece Delzer, taking two quick touches before finishing with a right-footed strike. The equalizer was Miyabi’s first goal as a Royal since joining the team in January, and her first NWSL goal since November 2, 2025. Miyabi has appeared in 15 games for the Royals this season of which she started eight, seeing an increased workload at right back since the departure of Janni Thomsen in July. The Japanese international has thrived in her new starting role, tallying one goal and one assist across her last three games, and is continuing to prove that her value in attack is an aspect of her game that can’t be ignored.

Before the game, Head Coach Jimmy Coenraets had told the team to test the goalkeeper with shots from distance. Narumi responded in the 22nd minute, unleashing a thundering strike from 30 yards out that soared through the air before rattling the right side-netting. Now with three goals on the year — all of them coming from outside the box— it is seemingly impossible for Narumi to score a boring goal. In addition to her controlling presence in the midfield, the danger Narumi poses from distance is another reason the Royals have scored a league-high 35 goals this season — three more than the closest team.

With two Japanese players already on the scoresheet, the only one missing was Royals’ star Mina Tanaka. Tied at 2-2 with the final whistle looming, Tanaka won a penalty when she was fouled in the box in the 79th minute. Tanaka herself stepped up to take the kick, converting with confidence to the bottom left corner for what ended up being the game-winning goal. The Japanese international has scored all three of her penalties this season, and with six goals, she is now tied for the Royals’ Golden Boot lead with fellow forward Cloé Lacasse. Tanaka has slowly increased her playing time after returning from an injury over the international break, and has now played the full 90 minutes in back-to-back games. Undoubtedly one of the Royals’ most important pieces with a total of 10 goal contributions on the season, Tanaka is regaining her form that makes her one of the most lethal attacking players in the world.

Looking to maintain their status near the top of the table, the Royals will travel to face San Diego Wave FC on Friday, August 21, a team they have never gotten a point from. Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. MT from Snapdragon Stadium and available to stream on Prime Video.