Hamm Is Strong Again

Mia Hamm had a goal and an assist in her second game back from her injury and Abby Wambach scored twice to help the Washington Freedom defeat the San Diego Spirit, 4-0, Saturday in front of 6,090 at Washington.

Hamm, who scored the game-winning goal Thursday against Boston, played the second half on Washington’s front line. With her left knee still bandaged, Hamm was able to make plays on offense but tested the surgically repaired joint with some reluctance.

Hamm scored her goal on a penalty kick in the 81st minute to give the Freedom a 3-0 lead after Ann Cook was taken down in the box. Hamm assisted on Anne Makinen’s first goal of the season in the 79th minute.

The offensive star for Washington (4-4-3) was Wambach, who has now scored in four consecutive games. Her first goal came in the 26th minute when she outjumped a cluster of defenders to head in her fifth goal of the season on a corner kick from Pu Wei.

The second goal came in the 89th minute when Wambach was left unmarked inside the box and fired a low shot behind a sprawling Jaime Pagliarulo, who has given up two goals or more in seven of 10 games for the Spirit (2-6-2).

San Jose 4, New York 3--Brandi Chastain scored twice and set up the winning penalty kick as the CyberRays (5-3-2) defeated the Power (2-7-1) in front of 6,605 at San Jose.

New York’s Tiffeny Milbrett, who had never scored a goal against the CyberRays before Saturday, scored all three for the Power.

Carolina 3, Atlanta 1--Unni Lehn’s goal in the 58th minute led the Courage (5-1-3) over the Beat (5-4-1) in front of 5,651 at Atlanta. Birgit Prinz scored in the 77th minute for the final margin.

Philadelphia 1, Boston 0--Marinette Pichon scored in the fifth minute as the Charge (6-1-2) held off the Breakers (2-5-4) in front of 5,465 at Villanova, Pa.