Wambach scored twice on headers in the second half to give the Americans, ranked No. 1 in the world, a 2-0 win today.

Former University of Hawaii and Kahuku High star Natasha Kai did not play in the match.

"This was a difficult game for us," U.S. coach Greg Ryan said.

He attributed a flat first 60 minutes to the effects of a rigorous training regimen before the match — the first in a six-game exhibition series for the United States leading up to the World Cup in September in China.

While other players were a bit worn, Wambach's energy level seemed to rise in the final 30 minutes.

"Abby is just so determined," Ryan said. "She says, 'I'm going to find a way, find a way. What separates her from other forwards in the world is her desire and drive to get it done."

Wambach outjumped goalkeeper Zhang Yanru in the penalty area in the 67th minute to convert a looping free kick from 35 yards by captain Kristine Lilly. The ball caromed off the back of Wambach's head and just inside the near post.

"We were a step off and slow to get going," Wambach said. "But we've worked hard on set pieces. I believe set pieces are what will win or lose the World Cup."

In the 88th minute, Wambach scored on another set piece, diving headlong to redirect a corner kick from Stephanie Lopez into her seventh goal of the year and 73rd in 91 career games. She's 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 Ryan took over the program in March 2005 — the last loss to Germany in the championship game of the 2006 Algarve Cup on penalty kicks after a scoreless tie. Since that game, Team USA is 20-0-3.

The U.S. was without starting goalkeeper Hope Solo, who returned home to Richland, Wash., because her father, Jeffrey, died Thursday night. The Americans wore black armbands in his honor.

Briana Scurry, one of the heroes of the 1999 World Cup championship team, started in goal but was rarely tested as the U.S. controlled the ball throughout.

"I thought about Hope all day," Scurry said. "In my heart, this game was for her dad."

Scurry took all of 2005 off after her father, Ernest, died on Father's Day 2004, two weeks before she played every minute of the Americans' gold-medal winning performance in the Olympics.

Scurry stopped all three of China's shots on goal to record her 75th career shutout.

The U.S. improved to 8-0-2 this year, including three wins over China, ranked 11th in the world.