American women shut out Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Cindy Parlow, Mia Hamm and Lori Chalupny scored second-half goals to lead the U.S. women’s national team past Mexico 3-0 Sunday in an exhibition match to prepare for the Olympics.

Parlow opened scoring in the 52nd minute off an assist from team captain Julie Foudy, and Hamm followed that up 12 minutes later with a shot inside the box that slipped past Mexico’s Jennifer Molina.

Lori Chalupny capped off the scoring with her first international goal, in the 87th minute.

Mexico remains winless against the Americans, who improve to 13-0 against an up-and-coming Mexican team headed to its first Olympic games.

“There’s a buzz right now in Mexico about this team, and you can see that in the eyes and the faces of those players,” Hamm said. “It doesn’t matter who they play, they feel they have a chance.”

Mexico played tough defense in the first half, breaking up several U.S. scoring attempts with hustle to the ball. The U.S. got off shots, but was unable to finish.

“We just needed to get in a rhythm,” said Hamm, the world’s leading career international scorer with 149 goals. “They worked hard to block a lot of shots, block a lot of service. And, for us, in the second half, it was just a matter of regrouping and refocusing.”

The U.S. defense, which has allowed just eight goals this year, held Mexico to a single shot on goal.

The shutout was the sixth this year for U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry, who left the game in the 77th minute after going up to grab a corner kick and landing flat on her back. After the game Scurry said she was a little sore from getting the wind knocked out of her.

Sunday’s 17,805 attendance was the highest for the U.S. women this year. The Americans improved to 12-1-1 in international play and will play Japan June 6 in Louisville, Ky.