Photo by ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
HARRISON, N.J. — Abby Wambach entered the U.S. Women’s National Team’s friendly with Korea Republic on Thursday two goals shy of Mia Hamm’s all-time scoring record.
She needed less than half an hour to break it.
Wambach surpassed Hamm’s record of 158 international goals in the Americans’ 5-0 win at Red Bull Arena on Thursday night, scoring four times in the first half to raise her total to 160 goals. Wambach had found the back of the net twice in the first 19 minutes to pull level with Hamm, but she made the record hers when she nodded home a Megan Rapinoe corner in the 29th minute before scoring her fourth goal of the match a minute into first-half stoppage time.
Wambach broke the record in her 207th game for the U.S. and her 160 goals are the most scored by any player, man or woman, at the international level.
Hamm issued a statement through U.S. Soccer during Thursday’s match congratulating Wambach on breaking her record.
“I’m just so proud of her,” Hamm said. “Just watching those four goals, that’s what she is all about. She fights for the ball. She’s couragous and she never gives up.
“Her strength and perseverance is what makes her so great and it’s what defenders and opposing teams fear. From being her teammate early in her caerer, I know all she ever wanted to do was win and she continues to do that.
“I’m just glad I got to share 158 with her. It was short, but it was fun.”
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