U.S. Routs Mexico in Women’s Cup Opener

If the United States next year is to reclaim the women’s world championship it won in 1991 and lost in 1995, it is going to have to face stiffer opposition than it encountered Saturday.

Playing in front of a crowd of 35,462 at Foxboro Stadium, Coach Tony DiCicco’s team routed Mexico, 9-0, in the opening game of the U.S. Women’s Cup ’98 tournament at Foxboro, Mass.

The crowd was the fifth-largest to see the reigning Olympic gold medalists play in the U.S., the largest since the ’96 Olympics.

Mia Hamm scored twice and assisted on four goals as seven U.S. players found the back of the net, including Kristine Lilly, who did so twice.

Lilly was playing in her world-record 160th national team game.

The Americans, who outshot Mexico, 34-3, have beaten their southern neighbor by a combined 30-0 in three games. They won, 12-0, at Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in 1991, and 9-0 in Montreal in 1994. Both were Women’s World Cup qualifying games.

“A whole bunch of people scored tonight, and that’s positive for the team,” Hamm said. “But Mexico has some young players with good skill. More experience will help them.”

Mexico held the United States in check until Hamm opened the floodgates in the 18th minute. Lilly doubled the American lead a minute later and the U.S. had a 5-0 lead by halftime, Hamm and Lilly each scoring twice and Tiffeny Milbrett once.

Hamm, who has 18 goals and 20 assists this year, increased her career total to a U.S.-record 99 goals.

Shannon MacMillan, Joy Fawcett, Tisha Venturini and Debbie Keller scored in the second half, all assisted by Hamm.

“It was an outstanding crowd tonight and it would have been wonderful to see Mia score her 100th,” DiCicco said. “But there will be plenty of chances for that in this tournament.

“I commend Mexico for their fight. They are a team that will keep improving.”