![\"U.S.](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/USATSI_27449705-scaled.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Photo Credit: Kylie Graham | Imagn Images)<\/p>\n
After two consecutive games scoring a goal in the first minute, it took the U.S. women\u2019s national team longer to find the back of the net in their win over New Zealand \u2014 though only seven minutes longer, that is. Scoring the second international goal of her career just eight minutes into Wednesday\u2019s clash was Emma Sears<\/a>, whose night was only beginning. The 24-year-old forward made her first start of the October international window at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City after coming off the bench in the games against Portugal, opening the floodgates for what was to come in the commanding 6-0 victory.<\/p>\n Things progressed at a steady pace in the first half of the match, which presented another opportunity for head coach Emma Hayes to build the team she described earlier this week<\/a> as both the \u201cpresent and the future\u201d of women\u2019s soccer in the U.S.<\/p>\n The Americans\u2019 starters averaged just 17.3 caps heading into Wednesday\u2019s matchup. That made them the least capped team the U.S. women\u2019s national team has started in 25 years \u2014 though such statements have become seemingly commonplace in the Hayes era. While getting young players experience has been a priority throughout Hayes\u2019 tenure at the helm of the team, that focus has been particularly apparent in this slate of friendlies. And, as with Sunday\u2019s final score, it was a promising outcome for the Americans.<\/p>\n Wednesday night\u2019s starting lineup featured another six swaps from Sunday\u2019s redemptive win <\/a>over Portugal. It included a senior team debut for San Diego Wave defender Kennedy Wesley<\/a>, now the 25th player given their first cap by Hayes in her 27 matches. While Sunday\u2019s starters featured 100 appearances between them \u2014 excluding veteran Emily Sonnett<\/a> \u2014 Wednesday\u2019s roster totaled just 77, veteran captain Rose Lavelle (114) aside. Three teenagers (Jordyn Bugg, Lily Yohannes and Claire Hutton) took the field for a second consecutive game, with Hayes again watching from the sidelines for key markers of development.<\/p>\n \u201cThat team has the least amount of caps of any team we\u2019ve put together in 25 years,\u201d Hayes told reporters after the match. \u201cThat\u2019s what we want. We\u2019re developing real competition in our squad. The expectations have always been here for this team, we understand that, but internally, the important thing for us is that we get to be ourselves and we get to play the way we want to play. I think the last two games is another step. That\u2019s all it is, it\u2019s no more than that, but it\u2019s starting to look like the team we are trying to create.\u201d<\/p>\n But it was one of the more seasoned players (relatively speaking) who extended the U.S. lead to two as Chelsea\u2019s Catarina Macario notched her 12th goal in her 27th appearance for the senior national team. Rose Lavelle<\/a> made it three just ten minutes later, finally finding the back of the net after two blocked attempts and relentless pressure on goal.\u00a0Hayes had high praise for her captain after the match, calling Lavelle \u201cone of the best players I\u2019ve ever coached.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite, or perhaps in light of, the hot start, Hayes made some swaps after the half. Veterans Lindsey Heaps<\/a> (nee Horan) and Sam Coffey<\/a> stepped in as the coach continued toying with her lineup and, at times, catered to the chants of the crowd in the case of Current midfielder Lo\u2019eau LaBonta, as the score ticked exponentially higher.<\/p>\n
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