The U.S. women’s national team rolled to a pair of victories over England to complete their victory tour with an undefeated 6-0-0 record.
Mia Hamm had a hat trick in the USA’s 5-0 win May 9 in San Jose, Calif. before an enthusiastic crowd of 17,358. She scored her first goal on a rocket-like free kick just before halftime, added a second in the 51st minute, and scored her third on a superb breakaway when she baffled the English defense with a pair of brilliant cuts before slotting home with her left foot from about eight yards out.
Local favorites had an exciting night as well. Former Stanford all-America Julie Foudy scored the final U.S. goal on a header from a corner kick in the 81st minute, and South Bay products Lorrie and Ronnie Fair made history by becoming the first sisters to both play for the U.S. national team.
Hamm, who scored eight goals in just four games on the victory tour, opened the scoring in the USA’s 6-0 win over England before a sellout crowd at the University of Portland’s Merlo Field on May 11. Gold-medalist and North Carolina star Cindy Parlow added a pair of goals for the U.S., while Debbie Keller added a goal and an assist, and Kristine Lilly and Tiffeny Milbrett also scored.
Former Portland all-America Shannon MacMillan was unable to play before the home crowd because of a chipped bone in her kneecap suffered in the May 9 match. MacMillan will undergo surgery to remove the chip in Portland tomorrow.
However, the fans were treated to a spectacular goal by MacMillan’s former UP teammate Milbrett, who ran onto a poor clearance and blasted the ball home from 12 yards out in the 28th minute for the third U.S. strike. Portland junior-to-be Michelle French made her international debut, and Portland all-America midfielder Justi Baumgardt played the full 90 minutes. Baumgardt received a surprise after the game when her boyfriend proposed to her at midfield — she said yes.
The U.S. women will next be in action at U.S. Cup ’97, when they face Canada in the opening match on May 31 in New Britain, Conn.
May 9 in San Jose, Calif.
USA 5 England 0. Goals: MacMillan 37, Hamm 45, 51, 60, Foudy 81.
USA — Scurry (Ducar, 58), L. Fair, Chastain, Pearce (R. Fair, 81), MacMillan, Venturini (Baumgardt, 70), Foudy, Lilly, Milbrett, Keller (Parlow, 53), Hamm (Pearman, 69).
England — Cope, Phillip, Easton, Powell, Marley, Coultard, Burke, Bampton, Williams (Massey, 78), K. Smith (S. Smith, 84) Broadhurst (Exley, 84).
Referee: Belkis Cortez.
Att.: 17,358.
May 11 in Portland, Ore.
USA 6 England 0. Goals: Hamm 7, Parlow 12, Milbrett 28, Parlow 39, Lilly 72, Keller 84.
USA — Scurry (Mead, 53), L. Fair, Chastain, Pearce, Foudy (Pearman, 58), Venturini (R. Fair, 58), Baumgardt, Lilly, Milbrett, Parlow (Keller, 46), Hamm (French, 53).
England — Cope (Reed, 53), Easton (Williams, 22), Cottier (Phillip, 17), Powell (K. Smith, 51), Marley, Coultard, Burke, Bampton, Exley (Buckley, 46), Mapes, Broadhurst.
Referee: Sandra Hunt
Att.: 5,039 (sellout).
