The United States Women Smash the Kiwis in Kansas City

After a two game, split series with Portugal, the United States Women’s National Team made their first trek to Kansas City since the opening of CPKC Stadium. In tow, they brought four members of the Kansas City Current, of which Claire Hutton and Michelle Cooper were in the Starting XI for the USWNT. The overall age of the starting lineup was just 23.2 years old for the US.

the gals in kc ✨USWNT x Home Depot

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@uswnt.ussoccer.com) 2025-10-29T23:01:01.525Z

On the other side of the pitch, the United States welcomed the New Zealand Women’s National Team, along with former KC Current player, Katie Bowen.

The US opened the game with an early spell of dominance, foretelling the game to come. It didn’t take long for that possession to turn into the game’s first goal. Cooper was working the ball up the right side of the pitch when she had a lovely interchange with Lily Yohannes who did a cheeky backheel to Coops who played an early cross through the box on the ground to Emma Sears to make it 1-0.

Almost immediately after the goal, Cooper got the ball in the box but her blasted shot was blocked. From there, the game settled down a bit with New Zealand even briefly making trips into the USWNT half of the field. After the brief respite from the pressure, the US attack again started through Cooper. She once again beat her defender, Indiah-Paige Riley, to the endline and nearly found Sears for another tap in if not for some emergency defending that led to a corner kick. That ensuing ball found Hutton’s head and fell into the arms of New Zealand goalkeeper Victoria Esson.

In the 33rd minute it looked like another surefire goal when a well-worked attack found Rose Lavelle essentially in the center forward spot. She chipped a ball over to Sears who was one-on-one with the keeper but ultimately the keeper made a massive save.

Just over a minute later, the Kiwis wouldn’t be so lucky. The attack came up the right, again, this time through Emily Sams, who was playing right back. She cut back a ball to the actual CF, Catarina Macario, who hit it too hard for the keeper to save. 2-0 USWNT.

In the 37th, Cat almost did it again when Rose cut a ball back that she sent just over the top corner of the net.

The US kept the pressure up until the 44th minute. After essentially playing with their food since the second goal, a ball fell kindly to Lavelle just outside the box and she laced it into the back of the net. Macario had tried to pass to Sams, but the ball was deflected and laid up perfectly for a tough volley that Rose left no doubt on. 3-0 USA.

Briefly after that, another delightful attack came up the right-side of the pitch and came to Cooper, whose cross/shot sailed over the bar. The USWNT went into the half with that three-nil lead.

At the half, the United States made a couple subs, bringing of Lavelle and Hutton on for Lindsey Heaps and Sam Coffey, respectively. NZ made a trio of halftime subs as well, with defender Laura Wall coming in at left back and promptly picking up a yellow card for a challenge on Yohannes.

New Zealand threatened the goal for the first time in the 53rd minute after earning a corner. The subsequent kick found the head of a Kiwi but Claudia Dickey came up with a huge diving save! It wouldn’t be long until the United States would strike again. Once again, Cooper started the sequence by beating her woman to find Sears wide-open in front of goal. After an initial bobble, Sears slotted it home to push the lead to four goals.

After the goal, the American Outlaws/KC Blue Crew, broke into a chant of “We want Lo!” Not long after, Emma Hayes called over Lo LaBonta, Yazmeen Ryan and Jaedyn Shaw. Hayes started to pump up the crowd even more, eventually putting her arm around LaBonta and the crowd went wild.

Before Lo could take the field, the USWNT would score again! Heaps calmly dribbled around some defenders before finding Macario who beat her defender to put a simple shot into the back of the net to make it 5-0.

Then the subs could be made, and the crowd once again went nuts. The trio would replace Yohannes, Cooper and Macario, respectively.

The US kept the pressure on over the next several minutes until the 80th minute when they made another sub. Recent U-23 USWNT defender who moved up this week to the full senior national team, Eva Gaetino, replaced left back Lilly Reale. Jordyn Bugg slid out to LB and Gaetino took her center back spot.

The 84th minute brought another USA goal. After earning a free kick, Coffey delivered a ball which caromed unfortunately off New Zealand defender, Meikayla Moore’s head into the post and fell to the onrushing Emma Sears who finished off her hat trick. 6-0 USA.

Mercifully, the game finally came to an end for New Zealand. The international break is over, and the players will head back to their club teams. The KC Current have a game that means something to the San Diego Wave on Sunday at 2:00PM CT, followed by the rest of the NWSL Decision Day matchups. The Current will start the playoffs as the one seed the following weekend.