Wambach leads U.S. women past China

Abby Wambach scored twice on headers in the second half Saturday night to give the U.S. women’s team a 2-0 win over China.

The match was the first in a six-game exhibition series for the United States leading to the World Cup in September in China.

Wambach outjumped goalkeeper Zhang Yanru in the 67th minute to convert a looping free kick from 35 yards by captain Kristine Lilly.

In the 88th minute, Wambach dived headlong to redirect a corner kick from Stephanie Lopez into her seventh goal of the year and 73rd in 91 games over her career. She is two behind Cindy Parlow for fifth on the Americans’ all-time list.

It was the 17th multi-goal game of Wambach’s career and helped the Americans extended their team-record unbeaten streak in regulation time to 42 games.

The U.S. is 34-0-7 since Coach Greg Ryan took over the program in March 2005 -- the last loss to Germany in the championship of the 2006 Algarve Cup on penalty kicks after a scoreless tie.

Since that game, Team USA is 20-0-3.