Commerce City, Colo. — Kennedy Wesley scored her first international goal and added an assist after coming off the bench, helping the United States defeat Japan 3-0 in the final match of a three-game series.
The goal came in the 64th minute when Wesley struck a volley off a corner kick delivered by Jaedyn Shaw. Earlier in the half, she had delivered a header from the left post that found Naomi Gumi for the opener in the 47th minute. Rose Lavelle added the second goal in the 56th minute after a through ball from Trinity Rodman.
The match was played in freezing conditions with snow still covering parts of the field from earlier in the day. Claudia Dickey recorded three saves in goal for the United States.
Tierna Davis, who Wesley replaced at halftime, had taken a hard fall in the 30th minute but was able to finish the first half before being evaluated.
Lavelle has now been involved in 10 goal contributions over her last 10 games, with five goals and five assists.
Wesley said after the match, “I really don’t have any words. I mean, it was the perfect ball from Jaedyn and I was just in the right place at the right time. I’m just over the moon.”
Coach Emma Hayes called the 3-0 result “an amazing scoreline” against a top opponent, noting the team’s performance in the final third.
The United States had outshot Japan 9-1 in the first half but entered halftime level at 0-0.
Japan’s Hikaru Kitagawa was carried off in the 25th minute with an injury and replaced by Miyabi Moriya.
The result completed a split in the series: the U.S. Won the first match 2-1 in San Jose, Japan won the second 1-0 in Seattle, and the U.S. Clinched the finale in Colorado.
The win ended Japan’s chance to extend a recent surge, as they had just won the Women’s Asian Cup, outscoring opponents 29-1 and defeating Australia 1-0 in the final.
Japan had as well defeated the U.S. In the previous year’s SheBelieves Cup, known for their technical style of play.
The match marked the fourth time in Hayes’ tenure that she had started completely different lineups in consecutive games, part of her strategy to develop the player pool ahead of World Cup qualifying.
Hayes emphasized that earning elite status requires consistent effort, telling her squad, “You do not become elite by dreaming about it. You have to work so hard at it and that is something I promise you, every one of us will work so hard to make sure we are in the best place. That’s all we can control.”
The game was held at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, home of the MLS Colorado Rapids, and broadcast nationally across multiple platforms.
What was the significance of Kennedy Wesley’s performance?
Wesley earned her first international goal and assist in the same match, becoming the first player to contribute to both of the U.S.’s second and third goals off the bench in this series.
How did the weather affect the match?
Snowfall earlier in the day left patches on the field, and temperatures hovered around freezing, requiring players to adapt to adverse conditions despite the venue’s usual milder climate.
What does this result mean for the U.S. Team’s preparation?
The win allows the U.S. To build momentum ahead of World Cup qualifying while continuing to test squad depth under Hayes’ rotation policy, especially after losing the second game to Japan and snapping a 10-game winning streak.