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U.S. women Wambach puts away pair of Hamm corner kicks to lead 3-1 victory over Mexico.
Wambach came off the bench to score twice in the second half -- both goals off corner kicks by her fellow striker Hamm -- leading the United States women to a 3-1 decision over Mexico before 23,176 this afternoon at the Cotton Bowl, the most to see a women's soccer match in Texas. The U.S., 10-0 all-time against Mexico, finished 2003 with a 17-2-4 and a Women's World Cup bronze medal. Training for the 2004 Summer Olympics begins in January/ "I think, all-in-all, we did a lot of really good things out here today," said Hamm, a Texas native. "You could see the fatigue a little bit as it was the end of our season. Our final pass wasn't on and our finishing suffered a little bit, but it's been a long road this year with the WUSA and getting ready for the World Cup and everyone is looking forward to a little time off. But we'll build from here and we have to qualify for the Olympics, so that's our focus come next year." The decisive tally came in the 58th minute when Hamm sent a curving corner kick just above the middle of the six-yard box where Wambach jumped over a defender and powered home a header. Wambach nearly netted another header in the 71st minute, but goalkeeper Jennifer Molina pulled off a spectacular reaction save to bat the ball away. In the 90th minute, Wambach fought through a crowd to get to Hamm's corner at the far right post and she nodded it down, off a defender and in for her 14th international goal and the 3-1 final.. The Americans opened the scoring in the 18th minute when midfielder Aly Wagner played a ball to Cindy Parlow near the top of the penalty area. The 5-foot-11 forward slipped by one Mexico defender, carried around another and slotted her shot into the left corner from 14 yards out to make it 1-0 with her 65th international goal. Mexico tied the game in the 41st minute on a penalty kick, awarded when U.S. defender Kylie Bivens cut down Patricia Perez in the top of the box after a long ball skidded over the U.S. defense. Mexico captain Monica Gonzales, an All-American at Notre Dame, powered her penalty into the top right corner to equalize at 1-1. The U.S. thoroughly dominated the affair, outshooting Mexico 30-4, 13-2 on frame. With the score tied 1-1, Mexico's had a good chance when U.S. failed to clear a corner kick and midfielder Mayra Rosales fired a shot from a sharp angle that U.S. keeper Briana Scurry pushed away. The Mexicans only other dangerous chance came in the 76th minute when midfielder Patricia Perez got behind the American defense in the left side of the penalty area, but shot high as Scurry challenged. U.S. forward Tiffeny Milbrett, who played the entire second half, had several chances to score her 100th international goal and barely missed on two occasions. The first came in the 69th minute after Wambach beat a defender on the right flank and broke into the box before playing a square ball to Milbrett at the penalty spot, for a shot that went wide left. Milbrett had a point-blank shot cleared off the goal line in the final seconds. United States 3, Mexico 1 Lineups: United States - Briana Scurry, Kylie Bivens (Heather Mitts 57), Joy Fawcett (captain), Danielle Slaton, Christie Pearce (Shannon MacMillan 72), Shannon Boxx, Tiffany Roberts (Julie Foudy 72), Kristine Lilly (Tiffeny Milbrett 46), Aly Wagner; Cindy Parlow (Abby Wambach 46), Mia Hamm. Mexico - Jennifer Molina, Maria Valdez (Evelin Lopez 35), Monica Gonzales (captain), Maria Castillo, Elizabeth Gomez, Monica Vergara, Jenny Ruiz, Patricia Perez, Mayra Rosales (Sulim Quinares 90), Kristy Contreras (Maribel Dominguez 46), Teresa Worbis (Andrea Moreno 89). Scoring:
Shots: United States 30, Mexico 4. Saves: United States 1, Mexico 10. Corner kicks: United State 10, Mexico 2. Fouls: United States 11, Mexico 6 Offside: United States 4, Mexico. Yellow card caution: Mexico - Rosales 80. Referee: Jennifer Bennett (United States). Referee assistants: Karalee Sutton (United States), Troy Travis (United States). Attendance: 23,176 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Weather: Warm, overcast, 81 degrees. |
