The U.S. Women’s National Team made a winning start to their 2018 Tournament of Nations campaign on Thursday, defeating Japan 4-2 before a sellout crowd of 18,467 at Children’s Mercy Park. Forward Alex Morgan scored sensational hat-trick and Megan Rapinoe bagged an emphatic fourth as the U.S. WNT improved to 5-0-3 all-time in Kansas City.
Thursday’s doubleheader at Children’s Mercy Park showcased four of the best women’s national teams in the world, with the Americans’ win preceded by Australia’s 3-1 triumph over Brazil. The 2018 Tournament of Nations will resume Sunday at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford, Connecticut, when the U.S. will look to dethrone reigning tournament champions Australia at 6 p.m. CT on FS1.
The Americans landed the first punch Thursday night on a well-worked team goal in the 18th minute. Christen Press exploited a pocket of space and surged into the attacking third before spreading the ball left to Rapinoe, who clipped a low cross into the penalty area. Morgan was on hand for the near-post finish to record her 87th career international goal and her first on Kansas City soil.
Japan needed just two minutes to level terms as Mina Tanaka snuck in behind the defense and sent a deflected shot over goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, but Morgan restored the U.S. lead with a bouncing header off Emily Sonnett’s pinpoint cross in the 26th minute.
Halftime substitute Tobin Heath was the catalyst for Morgan’s third goal in the 56th minute, embarking on a mazy run past multiple defenders in the penalty area. The ball then fell kindly to Morgan, whose sizzling strike from 12 yards caromed in off the crossbar to notch her fourth career hat-trick.
Rapinoe, one of 10 finalists for the 2018 Best FIFA Women’s Player, gave the U.S. a 4-1 cushion with a blistering blast into the left corner with 66 minutes on the clock. Seven minutes later, zealous applause engulfed the stadium as Morgan exited the match for legendary midfielder and two-time world player of the year Carli Lloyd.
Moeno Sakaguchi grabbed a goal back for Japan with a sublime strike from long distance in the 76th minute, but the U.S. would preserve their two-goal advantage to the final whistle, much to the satisfaction of the capacity crowd at Children’s Mercy Park.
In the first game of the doubleheader, Australia earned a 3-1 victory over Brazil. The Australians went ahead on a ninth-minute own goal, doubled their lead through Tameka Butt in the 38th minute and sealed the result on a 50th-minute strike from Samantha Kerr, a 2018 finalist for the Best FIFA Women's Player award. Debinha bagged a consolation goal for Brazil with 11 minutes remaining.
2018 Tournament of Nations Schedule
<strong>Date</strong> |
<strong>Matchup</strong> |
<strong>Stadium</strong> |
<strong>City</strong> |
<strong>Kickoff (CT)</strong> |
<strong>TV</strong> |
July 26 |
Brazil 1-3 Australia |
Children's Mercy Park |
Kansas City, KS |
3:15 p.m. |
|
July 26 |
USA 4-2 Japan |
Children's Mercy Park |
Kansas City, KS |
6 p.m. |
FS1 |
July 29 |
Japan vs. Brazil |
Pratt & Whitney Stadium |
East Hartford, CT |
3:15 p.m. |
|
July 29 |
USA vs. Australia |
Pratt & Whitney Stadium |
East Hartford, CT |
6 p.m. |
FS1 |
Aug. 2 |
Australia vs. Japan |
Toyota Park |
Bridgeview, IL |
4:45 p.m. |
|
Aug. 2 |
USA vs. Brazil |
Toyota Park |
Bridgeview, IL |
7:30 p.m. |
FS1 |
U.S. Women's National Team in Kansas City
- Oct. 7, 1999 vs. Finland: W 6-0 at Arrowhead Stadium
- Aug. 20, 2000 vs. Canada: T 1-1 at Arrowhead Stadium
- Oct. 22, 2003 vs. Italy: T 2-2 at Arrowhead Stadium
- Oct. 16, 2004 vs. Mexico: W 1-0 at Arrowhead Stadium
- Sept. 17, 2011 vs. Canada: T 1-1 at Children’s Mercy Park
- Oct. 15, 2014 vs. Trinidad and Tobago: W 1-0 at Children’s Mercy Park
- July 22, 2016 vs. Costa Rica: W 4-0 at Children’s Mercy Park
- July 26, 2018 vs. Japan: W 4-2 at Children's Mercy Park
