The Americans entered their final Group D fixture needing a strong result after opening the tournament with a 2-1 defeat to Italy and drawing 2-2 with Japan. They responded in emphatic fashion, overwhelming the Junior Football Ferns at Zaglebie Sports Park in Sosnowiec.
The USA needed only four minutes to open the scoring, with Alex Buck finding the net before Kennedy Fuller doubled the advantage just two minutes later.
The early goals immediately put New Zealand under pressure, with the Americans maintaining control and creating repeated opportunities in the final third.
Fuller was central to the United States' attacking display and completed her second goal of the match before half-time. Micayla Johnson and Linda Ullmark also got on the scoresheet as the USA established a commanding 4-0 lead at the interval.
The second half became a procession.
Buck scored her second goal in the 58th minute before Emeri Adames added another two minutes later.
Fuller then completed her hat-trick in the 83rd minute, while Sealey Strawn made it 8-0 four minutes later.
The American forward saved one more moment for stoppage time, with Fuller completing her hat-trick in the 92nd minute to cap a remarkable individual performance and a record-breaking team victory.
Match result
• New Zealand: No goals
• USA: Alex Buck 4', 58', Kennedy Fuller 6', 83', 90+2', Micayla Johnson 38', Linda Ullmark 43', Emeri Adames 60', Sealey Strawn 87'
The result was particularly significant for the United States after their difficult start to the tournament. The three-time U-20 Women's World Cup champions had collected just one point from their first two matches, leaving qualification in serious doubt.
Against New Zealand, however, the Americans produced a complete attacking performance and finished the group stage with four points, enough to move into the knockout phase.
For New Zealand, the defeat brought their tournament to a disappointing conclusion. The Junior Football Ferns finished their campaign without a point and suffered their heaviest defeat in FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup history, surpassing their previous record 7-0 loss to Japan in 2024.
Fuller's three-goal performance was the standout individual display, while Buck's brace and further goals from Johnson, Ullmark, Adames and Strawn underlined the depth of the American attack.
The USA will now turn their attention to the Round of 16, with their emphatic victory providing a major confidence boost after a difficult opening two matches.