Emma Sears has a hat trick in a 6-0 USWNT victory over New Zealand

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Emma Sears scored three goals and Catarina Macario added twp as the U.S. women's national team routed New Zealand 6-0 on Wednesday night.

It was the most goals scored by the United States in a match under coach Emma Hayes. Michelle Cooper had two assists.

Cooper sent Lily Yohannes' backheel pass over to Sears, who scored her first goal in the eighth minute to give the U.S. the early lead.

Macario, who plays for Chelsea, doubled the lead with her first goal in the 34th minute and Rose Lavelle scored a curling shot into the side netting from distance to make it 3-0 before halftime. It was Lavelle's 27th career goal.

Sears, who plays for Racing Louisville in the National Women's Soccer League, scored her second in the 55th, again with an assist from Cooper. Macario added her second in the 66th to make it 5-0. Macario has four two-goal games for the United States.

Sears got her third in the 84th, for the national team's first hat trick since Sophia Wilson did it against Uzbekistan in 2022.

“Honestly, I want to give a lot of credit to my teammates. I felt like, especially with that first goal, Michelle served it on a platter for me to just tap it in,” Sears said. “And the goals following, I felt like it was good to carry on that momentum throughout the game and ultimately get the win.”

Defender Kennedy Wesley started in her debut, becoming the 25th player to earn her first cap under Hayes. The backline of Wednesday's starting lineup had just 11 combined appearances for the national team.

It was the team's third match of the international window. The United States had 113 days off before falling to Portugal 2-1 in the opener last week in Pennsylvania then won 3-1 in the second match in East Hartford, Connecticut, on Sunday. The loss in the first match to Portugal was just the team's third under Hayes.

“I think it's exciting to see the future of this team,” Cooper said. “Obviously our first game didn't go as we wanted to, but to be able to have multiple players change our starting lineup and still be able to raise the level and get a win out of that, and then continue that momentum into this last game, that really speaks to the future of this team and what Emma has done here.”

New Zealand lost both of its friendly games during the international window, both to Mexico.

The match was played at CPKC stadium, the first purpose-built women's soccer stadium in the world, which is home to the NWSL's Kansas City Current. Cooper plays for the Current.

Before the game the New Zealand squad honored former captain Ali Riley, who has retired from professional soccer. Riley played 163 matches for the team.

The United States has played without many of the stars that won the gold medal at the Olympics. Trinity Rodman has a right MCL injury, while Wilson and Mallory Swanson are on maternity leave.

The United States went into the match with a 19-1-1 record against New Zealand. The two teams last met ahead of the 2023 Women's World Cup, with the U.S. winning both in Auckland.

The United States plays its final matches of the year against Italy on Nov. 28 in Orlando, Florida, and on Dec. 1 in Fort Lauderdale.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

United States forward Emma Sears (19) advances the ball during the second half of a women's international friendly soccer match against New Zealand, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

A ball kicked by United States forward Catarina MacArio (20) gets past New Zealand defender Mackenzie Barry, center left, and goalkeeper Victoria Esson, center right, to score a goal during the first half of a women's international friendly soccer match, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

United States forward Catarina MacArio kicks the ball during the first half of a women's international friendly soccer match against New Zealand, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

United States forward Emma Sears, center left, celebrates with forward Michelle Cooper, center right, after scoring a goal during the first half of a women's international friendly soccer match against New Zealand, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

United States midfielder Rose Lavelle (16) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the first half of a women's international friendly soccer match against New Zealand, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — A 10-day ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump and agreed on by Lebanon and Israel started at midnight Thursday local time.

The two neighboring countries held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades on Tuesday in Washington after more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed, Lebanon-based Hezbollah militant group.

The truce, if it holds, could boost attempts to extend the ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel after weeks of devastating war that killed thousands of people and upended global markets by disrupting the flow of oil.

Hezbollah started firing on Israel right after the start of the Iran war. It kept up attacks focused on northern Israel communities through Thursday night, with at least eight people injured including two seriously, according to Israel’s emergency services.

Air raid sirens were sounding in a few northern Israeli communities just minutes before the ceasefire was going into effect. Israel’s military also said late Thursday it was striking Hezbollah rocket launchers.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — Israel agreed Thursday to a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon, a truce that could pause fighting with the Hezbollah militant group and boost attempts to extend the ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel after weeks of devastating war.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the agreement as a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. However, Israel has not been fighting with Lebanon itself, but rather with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants inside the country, who were not formally part of the agreement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he agreed to the ceasefire “to advance” peace efforts with Lebanon, but said Israeli troops would not withdraw.

Israeli forces have engaged in fierce battles with Hezbollah in the border area as they pushed into southern Lebanon to create what officials have called a “security zone.” Netanyahu, in his address, said it will extend 10 kilometers (6 miles) into Lebanon.

“That is where we are, and we are not leaving,” he said in a video message.

Hezbollah said that “Israeli occupation on our land grants Lebanon and its people the right to resist it, and this matter will be determined based on how developments unfold” — a stance that could complicate the ceasefire.

The U.S. State Department said that according to the agreement reached between the two sides, Israel reserves the right to defend itself “at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.” But otherwise, Israel “will not carry out any offensive military operations against Lebanese targets, including civilian, military, and other state targets.”

The wording suggested Israel would maintain the freedom to strike at will, as it did in the months following the ceasefire that ended the previous war. This time, Hezbollah said it would respond to any strikes by Israel.

It's unclear when the 1 million people displaced by the war will be able to return.

Trump posted the ceasefire announcement on his Truth Social platform, saying it was to begin at 5 p.m. Eastern time (9 p.m. GMT).

The agreement came about following a meeting between Israel's and Lebanon’s ambassadors in Washington and a flurry of subsequent phone calls from Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to a White House official.

The talks amounted to the first direct diplomatic talks between the two countries in decades. Hezbollah had opposed direct talks between Lebanon and Israel.

Trump spoke Wednesday evening with Netanyahu, who agreed to a ceasefire with certain terms, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Rubio then called Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aoun, who got on board. Trump then spoke with Aoun, and again with Netanyahu.

The State Department worked with both governments to formulate a memorandum of understanding for the truce.

Lebanon has insisted on a ceasefire to stop the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah before engaging in more talks, while vowing to commit to disarming the group.

Israel and Lebanon have technically been at war since Israel was established in 1948, and Lebanon remains deeply divided over diplomatic engagement with Israel.

Trump also invited the leaders of Israel and Lebanon to the White House for what he said would be “the first meaningful talks" between the countries since 1983.

“Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly,” Trump wrote.

Lebanon and Israel signed an agreement in 1983 saying Lebanon would formally recognize Israel, and Israel would withdraw from Lebanon. The deal fell apart during Lebanon’s civil war and was formally rescinded a year later.

A Hezbollah official said the ceasefire was a result of Iran’s negotiations with the U.S., in which Iran had insisted Lebanon be included in its own ceasefire, and came about through efforts by mediator Pakistan. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s army chief met Thursday with Iran’s parliament speaker as part of international efforts to press for an extension to a ceasefire that has paused almost seven weeks of war between Israel, the U.S. and Iran.

It was unclear whether the frantic diplomacy could lead to a lasting deal before the ceasefire ends next week. The Iran war has killed thousands of people and upended global markets by disrupting the flow of oil.

Iranian state television did not provide details on the meeting between Pakistani Army Gen. Asim Munir and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, his country’s chief negotiator.

There was no immediate comment from Pakistan, which has become a key mediator after hosting direct talks between the U.S. and Iran that authorities said helped narrow differences between the sides.

The White House said any further talks regarding Iran would likely take place in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, though no decision had been made on whether to resume negotiations. The fragile ceasefire is holding despite a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and Iranian counter-threats to target regional ports across the Red Sea.

The 14-day ceasefire expires on April 22, but Trump suggested it could be extended.

“If we’re close to a deal, would I extend?” Trump said in an exchange with reporters. “Yeah, I would do that.”

The war has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have pounded military and civilian infrastructure. Oil prices have fallen amid hopes for an end to fighting, and U.S. stocks on Wednesday surpassed records set in January.

Even as the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and renewed Iranian threats strained the ceasefire, regional officials reported progress, telling AP the United States and Iran had an “in-principle agreement” to extend it to allow for more diplomacy. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations.

But tensions simmered.

The commander of Iran’s joint military command, Ali Abdollahi, threatened to halt trade in the region if the U.S. does not lift its naval blockade, and a newly appointed military adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said he does not support extending the ceasefire.

The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,100 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed.

Mediators are pushing for a compromise on three main sticking points: Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and compensation for wartime damages, according to a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.

Since the war began, Iran has curtailed maritime traffic through the strait, which a fifth of global oil transited through in peacetime. Tehran’s effective closure of the strait sent oil prices skyrocketing, raising the cost of fuel, food and other basic goods far beyond the Middle East.

Becatoros contributed from Athens, Greece. Matthew Lee and Ben Finley in Washington, Samy Magdy in Cairo, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.

Residents stand next to the rubble of a destroyed building that was hit a week ago in an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

People drive their motorbikes past billboards showing the Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, top and right, and his father, the slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, in downtown Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Workers search amongst the rubble of a destroyed building that was hit a week ago in an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A worker arranges furniture from an apartment of a destroyed building that was hit a week ago in an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A woman walks past a billboard that shows a graphic depicting a military personnel's hand holding the Strait of Hormuz in his fist with signs which read in Farsi: "In Iran's hands forever," "Trump couldn't do a damn thing," " The control of Strait of Hormuz will be Iran's forever," in Vanak Square, in northern Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Relatives of Ghadir Baalbaki, 19, who was killed on Tuesday in an Israeli airstrike, mourn during her funeral in the southern port city of Tyre, Lebanon, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Paramedics attach a portrait over the grave of Ghadir Baalbaki, 19, who was killed on Tuesday in an Israeli airstrike, at a temporary mass grave in the southern port city of Tyre, Lebanon, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Backdropped by ships in the Strait of Hormuz, damage, according to local witnesses caused by several recent airstrikes during the U.S.-Israel military campaign, is seen on a fishing pier in the port of Qeshm island, Iran, Monday, April 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Asghar Besharati)

In this photo released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir, left, is welcomed by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi upon his arrival in Tehran, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (Iranian Foreign Ministry via AP)

In this photo released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, right, meets with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir in Tehran, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (Iranian Foreign Ministry via AP)