Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy and Tisha Venturini turned in virtuoso performances in the U.S. women’s second consecutive 3-0 win over Sweden, this one played in Houston’s Clyde Abshier Stadium.
Sweden was nowhere near its form of last summer, when it hosted the World Cup, while the U.S. looked sharp.
Venturini was unstoppable in the air, heading in a Hamm cross off a U.S. corner kick in the 20th minute. In the 37th minute, Foudy headed down a Hamm cross from the right side of the box to Tiffeny Milbrett at the far post. Milbrett, the leading U.S. scorer in 1996 with six goals, put the U.S. up 2-0.
In the 62nd minute, Cindy Parlow stripped a Swedish defender of the ball at the top of the box, dribbled to the penalty spot, slid the ball under a diving Nilsson, hopped over the keeper and tapped in her third career goal.
The only real scare for Mary Harvey — who started in goal in place of Briana Scurry — came midway through the first half. An attack down the left wing produced a shot from just outside the box by Swedish veteran Pia Sundhage. But Sundhage’s shot ricocheted off the left post and into Harvey’s arms.
International Friendly
Feb. 17 in Houston
United States 3, Sweden 0. Goals: Venturini (20), Milbrett (37), Parlow (73).
U.S. — Harvey, Overbeck, Chastain (Roberts, 85), Fawcett, Lilly, Foudy, Venturini, MacMillan (Fair, 74), Gabarra (Pearman, 70), Milbrett (Parlow, 62), Hamm (Grubb, 85).
Sweden — Nilsson, Jakobsson, Karlsson, Bengtsson, Lundgren, Sundhage, Pohjanen, Swedberg, Andersson (Bowall, 85), Ackerfors (Wahlgren, 58), Kalte (Andelen, 85).
Att.: 2,865.