Kansas City: An Alex Morgan-inspired United States showed why they sit atop the FIFA World Rankings, defeating AFC Women's Asian Cup winners Japan 4-2 win in their opening Tournament of Nations tie at a packed Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City on Thursday.
Morgan, 29, starred for the Americans, scoring her fourth international hat-trick to take her tally for the US senior national team to 89 goals in 143 matches, as Asako Takakura's side suffered their heaviest defeat since February's 6-2 defeat to the Netherlands.
A sharp move featuring Christen Press and Megan Rapinoe set up Morgan for the first goal in the 18th minute, but Japan were level through Mia Tanaka just a minute later, as the in-form forward delightfully chipped US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher from 20 yards.
But the sides remained on level terms for just seven more minutes as Morgan headed home her second in the 26th minute before the reigning CONCACAF Player of the Year completed her treble 10 minutes into the second half when some exceptional play down the right hand side by Tobin Heath......
EAST ASIAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION
NEWS / RELEASE
Language is changed ENGLISH
10MA TOPICS! [JAPAN FA] Japan fall to Morgan-inspired USA
+
10passion
NEXTBACK
RECOMMEND
- 10MA TOPICS! [JAPAN FA] Iwabuchi scores a hattrick to give Nadeshiko Japan a shutout victory over China PR - EAFF E-1 Football Championship 2019
- 10MA TOPICS! [JAPAN FA] [EAFF E-1 Championship] Double delight for Japan
- 10MA TOPICS! [JAPAN FA] Ogawa scores a hat-trick in his debut match to lift SAMURAI BLUE past Hong Kong - EAFF E-1 Football Championship 2019
![10MA TOPICS! [KOREA REP FA] U-23 NT, SON Heungmin, JO Hyeonwoo, HWANG Uijo On the Entry for AG](https://image.eaff.com/index/3847.jpg)
![10MA TOPICS! [KOREA REP FA] WNT for AG Announced, With CHO Sohyun and JI Soyun Included](https://image.eaff.com/index/3846.jpg)
![10MA TOPICS! [JAPAN FA] U-15 Japan National Team squad, schedule - China PR Tour (7/20-29) The EAFF U15 Boys' Tournament 2018](https://image.eaff.com/index/3845.jpg)
![10MA TOPICS! [GUAM FA] U15 National Team ready for EAFF youth tourney in China](https://image.eaff.com/index/3844.jpg)
![10MA TOPICS! [KOREA REP FA] Son Heung-min, Ji So-yun headline Korea Republic squads](https://image.eaff.com/index/3843.jpg)
![10MA TOPICS! [KOREA REP FA] NT Will Play International Friendly Match Against Costa Rica and Chile in September](https://image.eaff.com/index/3842.jpg)
![10MA TOPICS! [JAPAN FA] Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women's National Team) squad, schedule - 2018 Tournament of Nations (7/26-8/2＠USA)](https://image.eaff.com/index/3841.jpg)
![10MA TOPICS! [HONG KONG FA] EAFF U-15 Boys Tournament 2018 - Hong Kong U15 Representative Final Team Squad](https://image.eaff.com/index/3840.jpg)
![10MA TOPICS! [KOREA REP FA] U-16 NT Will Head to Malaysia for Off-season Training](https://image.eaff.com/index/3839.jpg)
