HERSHEY, Pa. -- There are times when the opponent doesn't matter. The
U.S. women's soccer players knew that one of those times was Friday night
against Trinidad and Tobago in the Gold Cup.
So they worked on a new alignment, on their ball control and their passing
and their conditioning in muggy weather. And they worked everything to
perfection against the overmatched visitors in an 11-0 rout.
"It is extremely important to dictate how the game is played," career
scoring leader Mia Hamm said after scoring twice. "Soccer can have ebbs and
flows, but we jumped on them tonight."
Just as coach April Heinrichs promised. The Americans showed no mercy as
Cindy Parlow got her third hat trick this month and Sara Whalen added two
goals.
In what amounted to little more than a stroll through Hersheypark, the world
champions were relentless in the opener of the eight-nation tournament. They
jumped ahead on Parlow's first score in the fourth minute and possessed the
ball for 90 percent of the mismatch.
"That is something we have been focusing on, scoring early," Heinrichs
said. "When in the first five minutes we got a goal, we were celebrating on
the bench, everybody standing up.
"We always want more. Our team has achieved its success because of what
these players do when they don't have to. We didn't have to be on the cutting
edge to win, but you saw players making decisions and doing things as if they
were on that cutting edge of having to win."
Two of the younger, less-heralded World Cuppers were dominant early. Lorrie
Fair, who has stepped in for injured Michelle Akers at center midfield, scored
twice in a minute. Christie Pearce, in for captain Carla Overbeck at outside
halfback, had two beautiful assists in the first half.
The visitors never had a chance. Were it not for some spectacular saves by
Nicole Mitchell, the United States might have reached two dozen goals. And
after Mitchell banged her knee in a collision with Mia Hamm late in the first
half, the Americans seemed capable of it.
That wouldn't have bothered Heinrichs, who said the faucet would remain
turned on regardless of the score. Heinrichs saw her team's sharp passing and
overwhelming ball possession pay off with goals from veterans such as Hamm and
Tiffeny Milbrett, and developing stars such as Fair and Parlow.
"Every forward likes to score as much as possible and to come out of a game
with three goals is a great feeling," Parlow said.
Hamm, who missed a half-dozen wonderful chances in the first half, drilled
home a short shot off a scramble in the 48th minute. She got another in the
68th.
"We did so many good things tonight," Hamm said. "We knocked the ball
around well and controlled it well."
They certainly impressed Trinidad and Tobago coach Anthony Best.
"It is not an easy feeling being slaughtered," Best said. "Those that
don't break the back strengthen it, and our backs are not broken."
Shannon MacMillan put a penalty shot over the crossbar moments after Hamm's
first score, but that didn't stem the onslaught. Parlow got her second of the
night with a header off a precise corner kick by Milbrett in the 51st.
Hamm then made a perfect feed to MacMillan for a short tap-in in the 62nd.
Eleven minutes later, Parlow headed in a long cross from Brandi Chastain to
make it 9-0. It was her fourth three-goal game of the year.
Sara Whalen converted for the 10th goal off MacMillan's long through pass
and got the final goal on a breakaway in the 90th.
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| Christie Pearce battles for the ball during the U.S. team's huge win in the Gold Cup.(AP) | |
A crowd of 10,483, many carrying American flags or dressed in No. 9 Hamm
jerseys, first began cheering the U.S. women when they entered the stadium
runway midway through the opening game between Brazil and Costa Rica. The
cheers were louder when the team came out for warmups to "All-Star," blaring
over the loudspeakers.
But the biggest ovation came when Parlow, who had seven goals in the recent
Australia Cup, sent home a loose ball in the fourth minute.
Parlow was impressed that the fans stuck around all night.
"There were 10,000 who came out tonight and they all were staying at the
end when it was 10-0 and still screaming their heads off," she said.
Earlier, Brazil had an equally easy time with Costa Rica as Roseli and
Formiga scored two goals each in an 8-0 romp.
The United States meets Costa Rica on Sunday in Louisville, Ky., while
Brazil plays Trinidad and Tobago.
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