COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) – Kennedy Wesley scored his first international goal, came on as a substitute after halftime and had an assist, Naomi Girma and Rose Lovell each added goals and the United States defeated Japan 3-0 in a friendly Friday night.
Claudia Dickey made three saves for the United States.
Wesley, who replaced Tierna Davidson, sent a header from the left post to Girma, who headed it in from close range to make it 1-0 in the 47th minute.
Davidson took a hard fall in the 30th inning and was evaluated for several minutes, but was able to finish the first half.
Lovell gave the Americans a 2-0 lead in the 56th minute. After Japan lost the ball near midfield, Trinity Rodman sent a through ball to Lovell, who weaved past the defense in the middle of the field and slipped a shot from the edge of the penalty box and inside the left post.
Lavelle has contributed 10 points with five goals and five assists in the past 10 games.
In the 64th minute, Wesley made it 3-0 with a volley from a corner kick by Jadyn Shaw.
The United States outscored Japan 9-1 in the first half, but the game remained scoreless until halftime.
Japan’s Masaru Moriya came on in the 25th minute to replace Hikaru Kitagawa, who was carried away by a trainer with an injury.
The game was played in near-freezing temperatures at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, home of MLS’s Colorado Rapids. A few hours before the game, snowfall covered the field.
It was the final game of an unusual three-game series against Japan. The United States won its first victory last week in San Jose, California. 2-1.
Japan won their second victory 1-0 Tuesday night in Seattle, ending the U.S. winning streak at 10. The United States hasn’t lost since losing 2-1 to Portugal on October 23 of last year. The Americans had not been shutout in 42 games.
Manager Emma Hayes replaced her entire starting lineup for the second leg as the team strengthened its squad ahead of World Cup qualifiers later this year. This marks the fourth time in Hayes’ tenure that she has started in completely different lineups in consecutive games.
Japan was aiming to win the Women’s Asian Cup. The team outscored its opponents 29-1 and defeated hosts Australia 1-0 in the final.
The Japanese, known for their technical prowess, also defeated the United States at last year’s SheBelieves Cup.
“They’re a world-class team,” Hayes said ahead of Friday night’s game. “I think if we win the first game then the second game will inevitably be that challenge. They are a top team so we have to give them a lot of credit. So go for it in the third game.”
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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
