Mia Hamm celebrated her 26th birthday with a hat trick as the U.S. women’s national team thrashed China 4-1 in Group A play at the Algarve Cup in Portugal. The win puts the U.S. in control of the group, and a tie against Norway on Feb. 19 would assure the U.S. of a spot in the championship match. The four goals are the most the U.S. has ever scored against China. The Americans opened the scoring in the 15th minute, when Michelle Akers blasted a 30-yard shot towards the upper right corner of the goal. Chinese keeper Gao Hong jumped to make the save, but bobbled the ball and dropped it, allowing Hamm to dart in and knock it into the roof of the net. Hamm added her second just before halftime. Brandi Chastain’s throw-in from the left sideline was headed forward by Kristine Lilly, and Hamm won the ball in the air, bringing it down as she cut past a defender. She beat a second defender into the middle, and wrong-footed Gao Hong by slipping the ball into the left corner while running to the right. China, flustered for much of the match, took control midway through the second half, and pulled back a goal on Qiu Haiyan’s 19-yard shot in the 72nd minute. The goal snapped a 501-minute scoreless streak for the U.S. defense. China pressed for an equalizer, but the U.S. kept them at bay and added two goals in the final three minutes of play. Lilly struck in the 87th minute after receiving a pass from Julie Foudy off of a corner kick. Hamm completed her hat trick in the final minute after a long pass from Lilly skipped off the head of a Chinese defender, leaving Hamm one-on-one with Gao Hong. Her left-footed shot from 16 yards out beat the keeper to the right corner. “Mia Hamm was the show today,” said U.S. coach Tony DiCicco. “China had no answer for her. She played great defense, held the ball well in the attack and took on defenders all game.” “It was a game with two faces,” he added. “At times, we played brilliant soccer and at times China had us under pressure, but we kept our poise and finished our chances well.” Hamm has now scored 85 goals in 141 international matches. “Anytime you beat a team as talented as China by that score, it definitely gives you confidence,” she said. “Our midfield and defenders did a great job dealing with the tough conditions, the wind and the bumpy field, while still maintaining our composure. I’m happy with the goals because I think I only got three good opportunities, but the entire team improved from the last game in terms of their commitment to go forward and attack, which ultimately led to all four goals.” The U.S. and Norway meet March 19 in Lagos. March 17 in Loule USA 4 China 1. Goals: Hamm 15, Hamm 45, Lilly 87, Hamm 90; Qiu Haiyan 72. USA — Scurry, Overbeck, Chastain, Fawcett (Pearce, 73), MacMillan (Whalen, 63), Foudy, Venturini (Fair, 63), Lilly, Akers, Milbrett, Hamm. China — Gao Hong, Fan Yunjie, Li Jie, Xie Huilin, Wang Jingxa, Qiu Haiyan, Liu Ailing (Zhu Jing, 90), Liu Ying, Zhao Lihong, Zhang Ouying, Jin Yan (Bai Jie, 52). Yellow cards: China — Fan Yunjie 18, Zhang Ouying 60. Referee: Ingrid Jonsson (Denmark). Att.: 300.

Group A

March 17 — USA 4 China 1, Norway 1 Finland 0.
TEAM GP W T L GF GA P
USA 2 2 0 0 6 0 6
Norway 2 1 0 1 1 1 3
China 2 1 0 1 2 4 3
Finland 2 0 0 2 0 3 0
March 19 — USA vs. Norway, China vs. Finland.

Group B

March 17 — Denmark 6 Netherlands 0, Sweden 2 Portugal 0.
TEAM GP W T L GF GA P
Denmark 2 1 1 0 6 0 4
Sweden 2 1 1 0 2 0 4
Netherlands 2 1 0 1 2 7 3
Portugal 2 0 0 2 1 4 0