Alex Morgan's hat-trick leads US past Japan

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP):

As a wave of energetic young players make inroads with the U.S. national team, Alex Morgan admitted to feeling a bit of pressure from coach Jill Ellis to continue to perform at a high level.

Hard to get much higher than Thursday night.

Morgan capped a seemingly effortless hat-trick by converting off a dazzling piece of footwork by Tobin Heath, and along with Megan Rapinoe led the Americans to a 4-2 victory over Japan in their opening match of the four-team Tournament of Nations.

Morgan scored her first goal in the 18th when she flicked a nifty pass from Rapinoe past Japanese goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita. And her second came a scant eight minutes later, when Emily Sonnett gathered a cross from Crystal Dunn and popped it ahead to Morgan, who headed in the goal.

The hat-trick was complete after Heath, who had just entered as a substitute, made two Japanese defenders look foolish along the end line. She then swung a pass that was deflected to Morgan, who deposited it for her first three-goal game since Olympic qualifying in February 2016.

Rapinoe added her own goal and a bizarre, foot-stomping celebration afterward in the 66th minute as the U.S. team ramped up the offence just as it begins ramping up for World Cup qualifying.

They can secure their spot next year in France during the CONCACAF tournament in October.

The Americans haven't lost since dropping their opening match of the same tournament to Australia last year. The rematch of those powerhouses is Sunday in East Hartford, Connecticut, after the Matildas opened the defence of their Tournament of Nations title with a 3-1 victory over Brazil on Thursday.