Photo: Screenshot from YouTube
Fifteen years ago today, US women’s national team legends Julie Foudy and Mia Hamm played their final international game in a post-Olympic friendly against Mexico at the Home Depot Center (now known as the Dignity Health Sports Park) in southern California. Teammate Joy Fawcett also retired at this time, although she was unable to play in the match due to injury.
Hamm retired as the all-time leading scorer in international women (men or women) with 158 goals — a record not eclipsed until nearly nine years later when Abby Wambach scored her 159th goal in June 2013 versus South Korea. Like Hamm, longtime team captain Foudy ended her pro career with two Women’s World Cup titles and two Olympic gold medals … and the two combined for 550 international caps.
The fixture was also the final game for head coach April Heinrichs, as well as the final cap for Hamm and Foudy’s 1999 World Cup teammates Cindy Parlow and Brandi Chastain. Chastain was cut from the team a few months later when Greg Ryan took over as head coach, while Parlow was forced to retire due to concussion-related issues.
Of note in the video below — look for Mia Hamm’s special jersey change at the beginning of the second half. And the game features appearances from several 2015 WWC champs (Christie Rampone, Shannon Boxx, Heather O’Reilly, Abby Wambach) plus USWNT general manager Kate Markgraf and NWSL announcers Aly Wagner and Angela Hucles.
USA v Mexico
December 8, 2004
Home Depot Center, Carson, CA
Attendance: 15,549
Weather: 57 degrees, clear
Scoring Summary:
USA – Aly Wagner (Mia Hamm), 8′
USA – Abby Wambach (Mia Hamm), 17′
USA – Abby Wambach (Shannon Boxx), 24
USA – Shannon Boxx (unassisted), 44′
USA – Aly Wagner (Kristine Lilly) , 66′
Lineups:
USA: 1-Briana Scurry (18-Kristin Luckenbill, 82); 3-Christie Rampone, 15-Kate Markgraf, 4-Cat Reddick, 6-Brandi Chastain (2-Heather Mitts, 69); 7-Shannon Boxx, 11-Julie Foudy (capt.; 5-Lindsay Tarpley, 84), 10-Aly Wagner (8-Angela Hucles, 75), 13-Kristine Lilly (12-Cindy Parlow, 72); 9-Mia Hamm (17-Heather O’Reilly, 81), 16-Abby Wambach
Subs not used: 14-Joy Fawcett
Head Coach: April Heinrichs
MEX: 1-Pamela Tajonar; 2-Elizabeth Gomez, 3-Marlene Sandoval, 4-Monica Gonzalez (capt.; 17-Nancy Gutierrez, 74), 5-Maria Castillo, 13-Jessica Romero; 6-Monica Vergara (18-Leslie Munoz, 82), 7-Dioselina Valderrama (14-Christine Nieva, 90), 8-Rebecca Juarez (16-Rebecca Mendoza, 75), 10-Evelyn Lopez (11-Carmen Padilla, 46); 9-Guadalupe Worbis (15-Lulu Gordillo, 87)
Subs Not Used: 12-Elizabeth Sanchez
Head Coach: Leonardo Cuellar
Stats:
USA / MEX
Shots: 25 / 7
Shots on Goal: 12 / 4
Saves: 4 / 7
Corner Kicks: 8 / 1
Fouls: 3 / 10
Offside: 0 / 1
Misconduct Summary: None
Referee: Kari Seitz (USA)