Mia Hamm set up two early goals and scored one herself as the U.S. women’s national team beat fellow Olympic qualifier Sweden 3-0 in a friendly in San Antonio, Texas.
Hamm has been on fire in 1996, collecting three goals and setting up six others, including Shannon MacMillan’s in the eighth minute against Sweden. Hamm beat her defender down the right wing and crossed to MacMillan, who tapped the ball in from six yards.
Another Hamm run set up Tisha Venturini’s goal 10 minutes later. The pony-tailed striker turned her defender in circles before firing a rocket off the crossbar. Venturini knocked in the resulting rebound.
Hamm’s diving header in the 62nd minute off a Carin Gabarra cross ended the scoring.
U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry stuffed Camilla Ackerfors on a breakaway in the 76th minute on one of Sweden’s few good chances.
The U.S. plays Sweden again Feb. 17 in Houston. The match will be televised on a tape-delay basis by Prime.
International Friendly
Feb. 15 in San Antonio, Texas
United States 3, Sweden 0. Goals: MacMillan (8), Venturini (18), Hamm (62).
U.S. — Scurry, Overbeck, Wilson (Pearman, 74), Chastain, Fawcett, Lilly, Foudy (Roberts, 63), Venturini, MacMillan (Fair, 70), Milbrett (Gabarra, 61) Hamm (Parlow, 74).
Sweden — Nilsson, Sundhage, Bengtsson, Nessvold, Sandell, Lonnqvist (Karlsson, 46), Andersson, Bowall (Lundgren, 86), Swedberg, Andelen (Ackerfors, 46), Kalte.
Att.: 2,192.