Tiffeny Milbrett tied a U.S. women's national team record Saturday by scoring five goals — all by the 34th minute — as the Americans moved within one win of qualifying for the 2003 Women's World Cup with a 9-0 laugher over Panama in the Group 1 final of the CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup.

Shannon MacMillan added a pair of goals and an assist, Aly Wagner picked up three assists, and Abby Wambach — called into the U.S. team after Heather O'Reilly suffered a hip flexor in the tournament opener — scored a goal and assisted on two others as the U.S. attack erupted before 21,522 at Safeco Field in Seattle.

Milbrett scored in the third, fifth, ninth, 22nd and 34th minutes to equal the U.S. single-game goals mark set by Brandi Chastain against Mexico at the 1991 CONCACAF Women's World Cup qualifying tournament and equaled by Michelle Akers against Taiwan at the 1991 Women's World Cup.

''As far skill, speed and goal scoring ability, Tiffeny is probably second to none in the world,'' Chastain said. ''And when you couple her with a player who can pass the ball exactly where it needs to be in Aly Wagner, you have a deadly combination.''

Wagner assisted Milbrett's first, second and fourth goals as the diminutive striker upped her international total to 94 goals. Milbrett has six goals in two Gold Cup matches and shares the tournament lead with Canada's Christine Sinclair.

The Americans dictated play throughout, outshooting Panama, 38-2, and rolling up an 8-0 lead by halftime.

The U.S. women also had dominated games against Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago, but their attackers had struggled against their defensive-minded foes while recording a pair of 3-0 victories. They had no such problems Saturday, romping to a 5-0 lead by the 14th minute. Tiffany Roberts also scored for the Americans, her first international goal in more than six years.

''We expected it to be packed in again tonight, but I was surprised we were actually able to find the space we did,'' Milbrett said. ''I got some great balls out of the midfield, and that makes my job much easier because I can be a forward and be a finisher.''

The Americans earned the top spot in Group 1 with the victory and advanced to a semifinal showdown Wednesday in Seattle against Canada or, more likely, Costa Rica. The winner nails down a berth at next year's Women's World Cup in China.

Mexico also claimed a semifinal spot, beating Trinidad & Tobago, 2-0, as Washington Freedom midfielder Monica Gerardo scored in each half.

Wednesday's semifinal matchups will be determined Sunday, the final day of Group B play in Victoria, British Columbia. Canada and Costa Rica have won their first two games, and the Canadians are prohibitive favorites to capture the group finale.

The Gold Cup final will be played Nov. 9 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

CONCACAF WOMEN'S GOLD CUP

GROUP 1

Nov. 2 at Seattle

United States 9 Panama 0. Goals: Milbrett 3, 5, 9, 22, 34, MacMillan 12, 14, Roberts 40, Wambach 85.

United States — Beene; Reddick, Chastain (Roberts, 24), Fawcett (Sobrero, 27), Benson; Fair, Hucles, Wagner (Foudy, 46), MacMillan, Milbrett, Wambach.

Panama — Franco; Arosemena, Bustamente, Gutierrez, Perez (Aguilar, 58); DeMera, Y. Gonzalez, Valderrama, Bedoya; Romero (M. Gonzalez, 31), Perez (Louis, 78).

Yellow card — USA: Foudy 90.

Red card — Panama: DeMera 87.

Referee — Varnette Laing (Bahamas). A — 21,522.

Other score

Mexico 2 (Gerardo 7, 60) Trinidad & Tobago 0.

Final Standings
United States 3-0-0 15-0 9
Mexico 2-1-0 7-4 6
Panama 1-2-0 5-16 3
Trin. & Tobago 0-3-0 2-9 0

GROUP 2

Standings
Canada 2-0-0 20-1 6
Costa Rica 2-0-0 7-0 6
Jamaica 0-2-0 0-11 0
Haiti 0-2-0 1-16 0

Nov. 3 at Victoria, British Columbia
Jamaica vs. Haiti, noon PST
Canada vs. Costa Rica, 2 p.m. PST

FINAL FOUR

Nov. 6 at Seattle
Semifinals, 7 and 9;30 p.m. PST
(Winners qualify for 2003 Women's World Cup)

Nov. 9 at Pasadena, Calif.
Third-place game, 4:30 p.m. PST
(Winner advances to playoff with Asia No. 3 team for berth in 2003 WWC)
Championship, 7 p.m. PST

GOALSCORERS
1. Tiffeny Milbrett (USA) 6
Christine Sinclair (Canada) 6
2. Megan Chavez (Costa Rica) 4
Charmaine Hooper (Canada) 4
Kara Lang (Canada) 4
6. Amarelis DeMera (Panama) 3
Shannon MacMillan (USA) 3
8. Silvana Burtini (Canada) 2
Shirley Cruz (Costa Rica) 2
Monica Gerardo (Mexico) 2
Monica Gonzalez (Mexico) 2
Cindy Parlow (USA) 2
13. Maylee Attin-Johnson (T&T) 1
Maritzenia Bedoya (Panama) 1
Xiomara Briceno (Costa Rica) 1
Candace Chapman (Canada) 1
Brandi Chastain (USA) 1
Maribel Dominguez (Mexico) 1
Randee Hermus (Canada) 1
Fatima Leyva (Mexico) 1
Kencia Marseille (Haiti) 1
Marlene Sandoval (Mexico) 1
Tasha St. Louis (T&T) 1
Diana Valderrama (Panama) 1
Aly Wagner (USA) 1
Amy Walsh (Canada) 1
Abby Wambach (USA) 1