USWNT vs New Zealand
What an honor that was, getting to cover the USWNT in the first-ever stadium built for a professional women’s sports team. A packed house was the only way to mark such a historic occasion, and Kansas City showed up in droves to welcome the team. On the field, Emma Sears stole the show, scoring her first career hat-trick and leading the US to a comfortable 6-0 victory over New Zealand. On paper, it was the least experienced starting XI for the US in 25 years, but all the newer players put on excellent performances to make sure the 11,000+ fans in the stands walked away smiling from ear to ear.
Photography: Matias Cerisola
n the heart of Kansas City, under the lights of the world’s first purpose-built women’s soccer stadium, the U.S. Women’s National Team put on a show worthy of the stage. Emma Sears scored a sensational hat trick — the first by a U.S. player in more than three years — as the USWNT rolled to a 6–0 win over New Zealand to close their October window in emphatic fashion.
It was, by every measure, a statement night. Fielding the youngest and least experienced starting XI in a quarter-century — averaging just 17.3 caps — head coach Emma Hayes’ side looked anything but raw. The U.S. dictated every moment, firing off 34 shots and enjoying more than 80% possession, marking their most dominant performance since Hayes took charge.
The breakthrough came early. Kansas City Current winger Michelle Cooper, playing in her home stadium, whipped in a low cross that Sears met cleanly at the near post to open the scoring in the eighth minute. From there, the floodgates opened. Catarina Macario doubled the lead midway through the half, pouncing on a deflection inside the box to continue her resurgent form, before Rose Lavelle — wearing the captain’s armband — added a breathtaking third.
When a loose clearance fell to Lavelle just before halftime, she met it with a curling right-footed volley that soared into the top corner. “Rose Lavelle is one of the best players I’ve ever coached,” Hayes said afterward. “The way she sees space and connects play — that goal was pure Rose.”
If the first half showcased style, the second delivered swagger. Sears netted twice more — first finishing another Cooper delivery, then slamming home a rebound to complete her hat trick in the 84th minute. Between her goals, Macario grabbed her second of the night with a fierce strike from close range.
The performance wasn’t just about the goals; it was about the depth. San Diego Wave defender Kennedy Wesley made her debut, becoming the 25th player to earn a first cap under Hayes. Goalkeeper Claudia Dickey, in just her fourth appearance, recorded her third career shutout behind a backline that entered the match with only 11 combined caps.
For Hayes, it was the perfect blend of promise and production. “We’re still building connections,” she said. “But nights like this show the hunger and talent that’s emerging.”
The win extended the U.S.’s unbeaten run against New Zealand to 21 games and marked their largest-ever victory over the Football Ferns. It also gave fans in Kansas City — fresh off celebrating their NWSL Shield-winning Current — a glimpse of the national team’s bright future.
Next up, the USWNT closes the year with two friendlies against Italy in Florida, as Hayes’ evolving roster continues to take shape ahead of 2026. For now, though, this night belonged to Sears — a 24-year-old forward who seized her moment and, in doing so, reminded everyone what the next generation of American stars looks like.
