U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team Fall 5-1 to Ukraine in Deaflympics Opener
Joey Kennedy Tallies First International Goal; USA to Face Korea Republic on Sunday in Final Group Stage Match (2:30 a.m. ET; JDFA YouTube)
FUKUSHIMA, Japan (Nov. 14, 2025) - The U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team fell 5-1 to a strong Ukraine side in both teams’ opening match of the 2025 Deaflympics on Friday evening at the J-Village National Training Center on the coast of Fukushima Prefecture. Joey Kennedy tallied the lone USA goal in the second half, but the reigning World Deaf Champions showed their strength behind three goals from Ihor Reutov, who was also the top scorer at the 2023 Championship.
The team traded quality chances in the first five minutes. USA goalkeeper Sam Lang made a big early save and defender Kevin Fitzpatrick cleared a shot off the line. Winger Chris Bourdon nearly put the USA ahead on chance from inside the box with his left, but Ukraine goalkeeper Yaroslav Kotliarov made a nice save to his left to keep the score even.
But Ukraine would break the game open with three goals in a nine-minute span. Reutov opened the scoring in the 14th with a first-time shot from the top of the box. Two minutes later, Bohdan Myshenko tapped in the second off a rebound of another Fitzpatrick clearance off the line, and Reutov added his second with a long-range free kick over the wall.
Kennedy helped the USA cut into the lead early in the second half, taking a pass from Bennett Haas and ripping a shot from the right into the top near post for his first international goal.
However Reutov completed his hat trick minutes later when he jumped on a defensive miscue and buried a shot from just inside the box. Substitute U.S. midfielder Jacob Contreras, who also earned his international debut, nearly got one back but his shot hit the left post, then Ukraine’s Sergiy Bayev closed out the scoring late in stoppage time.
The match was originally scheduled for Nov. 16, followed by a group match against Senegal on Nov. 18. However after Senegal dropped out of the competition earlier in the week, the ICSD held a re-draw for the entire competition. The USA and Ukraine were again placed in the same group, along with Korea Republic, who the USA will play on Sunday, Nov. 16 (2:30 a.m. ET; JDFA YouTube). South
Korea will then play Ukraine on Nov. 18. The top two teams after group play will advance to the Quarterfinals.
Additional Notes:
- Joey Kennedy tallied his first international goal in just his third appearance with the Deaf MNT.
- Bennett Haas recorded his second international assist in his sixth appearance.
- Substitute midfielder Jacob Contreras made his international debut.
-U.S. MEN’S DEAF NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team vs. Ukraine
Date: Nov. 14, 2025
Competition: Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics
Venue: J-Village, Fukushima, Japan
Kickoff: 2:30 a.m. ET (Nov. 13) / 4:30 p.m. local (on Nov. 14)
Weather: 45 degrees, Clear
Attendance: 50
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | F |
| USA | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| UKR | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| UKR – Ihor Reutov | 14th minute |
| UKR – Bohdan Myshenko | 16 |
| UKR - Ihor Reutov | 23 |
| USA – Joseph Kennedy Jr. (Bennett Haas) | 53 |
| UKR - Ihor Reutov | 58 |
| UKR – Viacheslav Bragin | 90+5 |
Lineups:
USA: 1-Sam Lang; 8-Philip Cruz, 16-Kevin Fitzpatrick (Capt.) (11-JP Kanashiro, 83), 17-Tate Lancaster, 20-JJ Waterman; 3-Raul Silva, 10-Braden Anderson, 13-Joseph Kennedy, Jr., 7-Chris Bourdon, 14-Bennett Haas (9-Jacob Contreras, 64); 22-Michael Schmid (2-Samson Abraham, 64)
Substitutes not used: 12-Andrew Lenert, 21-Ethan Sullivan. 4-Luke Haubruge, 5-Kevin Oladimeji, 6-Dawson Anderson, 15-Eddie Perry, 18-Aidan Burns, 19-Daniel De Moura
Head Coach: Everett Palache
UKR: 2-Yehor Tretiakov, 3-Renat Bezpaliuk (3-Abdoulle, Nije, 66), 4-Mykhailo Polianskyi, 5-Dmytro Dotsenko, 9-Bohdan Myshenko, 11-Ihor Reutov (19-Roman Striyskyi, 81), 12-Yaroslav Kotliarov, 14-Shalva Mchedlishvili, 15-Kostiantyn Voichenko, 16-Leonid Morozov (17-Sergiy Bayev, 81), 20-Viacheslav Bragin (22-Dmytro Bielousov, 59)
Head Coach: Senba Yuna
Stats Summary: USA / UKR
Shots: 7 / 14
Shots on Goal: 4 / 9
Saves: 4 / 3
Corner Kicks: 4 / 0
Fouls: 13 / 7
Offside: 1 / 1
| Misconduct Summary |
| UKR – Yehor Tretiakov (Caution) | 15th minute |
| USA – Philip Cruz (Caution) | 71 |
| UKR – Sergiy Bayev (Caution) | 86 |
Officials:
Referee: Tomohiro Tsukada (JPN)
Assistant Referee 1: Kaito Miyazaki (JPN)
Assistant Referee 2: Shota Abe (JPN)
Fourth Official: Wataru Mizuno (JPN)