CHENGDU, China -- Playing with a sore toe and stitches in her head doesn't seem to bother Abby Wambach.
The top U.S. striker scored both goals on Friday in a 2-0 victory over Sweden in the women's World Cup. She now has three in two games here, and the win puts the No. 1-ranked Americans in good position to make the quarterfinals.
Wambach converted a penalty in the 34th, and scored a textbook goal in the 58th, settling a long ball on her chest from Kristine Lilly and then driving a 15-yard, left-footed half-volley past Sweden keeper Hedvig Lindahl.
Wambach has scored 80 goals in 98 games for the U.S. national team, which is seeking its third World Cup to go with titles in '91 and '99.
"We knew that this was potentially an elimination match with Sweden," American coach Greg Ryan said. "Big players win championships, and you saw what happened here tonight."
Wambach gave her striker partner most of the credit for the goal, which would make a highlight film in any tournament.
"She saw me making a run, and she basically did all the rest," Wambach said. "She put an amazing ball on my chest between the two defenders. I took a decent touch off my chest and was able to half-volley it.
"It's one of those goals as a forward where you say: 'Yeah I meant to put it exactly where it went in.' But in this type of situation I just hit as hard as I could an it went in."
The victory is a boost for the Americans following an testing 2-2 draw with North Korea in it opening game of Group B, the toughest group of the 16-team tournament.
The Americans, who are undefeated in 48 games in 2½ years under coach Greg Ryan, face Nigeria on Tuesday in Shanghai in the final Group B game. Sweden faces North Korea on Tuesday in Tianjin and needs a victory to have a shot of advancing.
The top two teams in the group advance to the quarterfinals.
The Americans have four points in two games. No. 3-ranked Sweden has one from a 1-1 draw with Nigeria and is in danger of missing the final eight.
After being pressed hard for much of the early game in southwestern China, the Americans took control after Wambach's penalty.
