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The Honolulu Advertiser

Updated at 5:03 p.m., Saturday, April 14, 2007

U.S. women beat Mexico, 5-0, in World Cup tuneup

By Ken Maguire
Associated Press

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Kristine Lilly scored two second-half goals to help the United States beat Mexico 5-0 today in the first of eight tuneup matches before the World Cup in China in September.

Lilly, the U.S. captain who grew up in nearby Connecticut, lofted a left-footed shot from 25 yards over the head of goalie Sophia Perez in the 50th minute. For good measure, she used her right foot to send in a cross from Abby Wambach 15 minutes later.

Wambach opened the scoring in the 10th minute, taking a feed from fellow striker Lindsay Tarpley and putting a right-footed shot past Perez. Tarpley made it 2-0 in the 33rd minute when she put home a rebound of her own shot.

After Wambach's goal, the Mexicans fought back to produce two scoring chances. In the 17th minute, star striker Maribel Dominguez's shot from the top of the box was saved by Hope Solo. Three minutes later, Solo dove to her left to push a Monica Ocampo shot wide.

The Americans, ranked No. 1 in the world, are playing a domestic schedule through the summer in preparation for the 16-team World Cup.

Natasha Kai, a former University of Hawai'i and Kahuku High alum, was not part of today's playing roster.

Lauren Cheney, who replaced Lilly in the 82nd minute, finished off the scoring six minutes later. It was her first international goal in her second appearance.

Lilly, 35, has 121 international goals.

Mexico has never beaten or even tied the United States in 19 games, and recently failed to qualify for the World Cup.

The U.S. team hasn't lost a match in regulation time in 39 games. A penalty kick loss to Germany in the 2006 Algarve Cup officially counted as a tie.

Today's friendly precedes the New England Revolution's home opener against Toronto FC.