U.S. Has a Little Extra for China

Give her two minutes and she’ll give you the world. Or at least a soccer victory over China.

That’s what Tisha Venturini did Thursday night, scoring the winning goal in dramatic fashion in the game’s final moments as the United States defeated China, 2-1, in front of a near-sellout crowd of 15,257 at Hershey Park Stadium.

The midfielder from Modesto was sent into the game in the 90th minute, but somehow contrived to end up the hero as the U.S. gained a measure of revenge for its 2-1 loss to China in the final of the Algarve Cup in Portugal in March.

“We felt that Tish could give us something,” said U.S. Coach Tony DiCicco, explaining the late substitution. “In my conversation with Tish today--and this is no kidding--I said, ‘Tish, my feeling is you can get us a goal late in the game.’ ”

The game winner was spectacular.

The Chinese, silver medalists at the Atlanta Olympics and one of the favorites for this summer’s Women’s World Cup, believed they had secured a tie and were caught flat-footed by the late U.S. strike.

A quick free kick by Shannon MacMillan of Escondido sprang Mia Hamm free down the right sideline. Hamm sent a sizzling cross into the goal area, where China’s goalkeeper, Han Wenxia, fumbled the ball. Venturini, who had sprinted 30 yards to meet the cross, drove the loose ball into the roof of the net, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

“I just saw someone [MacMillan] kicking the ball to Mia, and when that happens you know she’s going to get there,” Venturini said of her 39th international goal. “So I started to run toward the goal and she [Hamm] crossed it and it just sort of bounced off the goalie and I just slid and it was there.”

Had DiCicco actually predicted the goal?

“He said, ‘I’m going to start looking to you to score goals, so if we need a goal we might throw you in there,’ ” Venturini said. “I thought maybe I’d get more than like two minutes to do it. I didn’t think he had that much confidence in me.”

It was a confident U.S. team that dominated the first half, DiCicco having fielded what is likely to be his World Cup starting lineup.

Briana Scurry was in goal and the defense featured Joy Fawcett, Carla Overbeck, Kate Sobrero and Brandi Chastain. Michelle Akers, Julie Foudy and Kristine Lilly made up the midfield, while the forward line consisted of Hamm, Tiffeny Millbrett and Cindy Parlow.

It was Hamm who earned the U.S. its first goal, cutting through the Chinese defense before being unceremoniously upended by defender Wen Lirong. Referee Nancy Ley pointed to the penalty spot and Akers stepped up to take the kick.

Goalkeeper Han guessed correctly and dived to her right, but although she managed to get a hand on the ball, its force carried it into the net.

The goal, in the 20th minute, was Akers’ 101st in international play, leaving her three shy of Hamm’s 104 as they chase the world record of 107 held by Italy’s now-retired Elisabetta Vignotto.

“I hit it hard,” Akers said of the penalty kick. ‘I’m still getting my game focused, so I’ve got a little work to do on those yet. But it went in.”

Not quite as superbly as China’s goal, however, which came on a memorable 25-yard free kick in the 59th minute by Sun Wen that swerved over the U.S. defensive wall and snuck in at the right post.

“That girl hit a hummer,” Scurry said. “I saw it come off her foot and I didn’t see it again until it was over the wall and right into that corner.

“I was defending the other side, because I don’t want to leave that open otherwise she’s going to kick it in there and I’m going to look like an idiot. Once in a while you’ve just got to say, ‘Hey, good shot.’ ”

China played better once it tied the score and probably considered itself unlucky to lose, especially since referee Ley inexplicably added at least two minutes of nonexistent injury time to the game.

Two minutes in which Venturini took full advantage.