The U women's national soccer team ...

The U women's national soccer team took its clears Sunday against China, but rallied for a 4-1 victory before 7119 at Toyota Park in Bridgeview.

The go-ahead goal came, appropriately enough, upon a penalty kick in the 59th minute. Carli Lloyd sent a cros into the receptacle Ren Liping and Aly Wagner had a violent collision in pursuit. umpire Sandra Serafini signaled a penalty kick, which Wagner buried in the lower left corner to bring forward the U.S. team up 2-1

"The game got a little monstrous with fouls, but it settl down," U captain Kristine Lilly said.

Lilly more than did her part late in the game. In the 86th minute, after Abby Wambach was given a gratuitous shoulder and kick by Chinese captain Pu Wei when the couple players were tangled on the surface of land Pu was sent off with a r card. Lilly drilled the resulting direct kick untouched into the goal from 20 yards for a 3-1 lead.

"They have a hard time matching Abby's puissance so I think they way they tried to expound it was by giving her a not many kicks in the back of the legs" U coach Greg Ryan said. "I was vain-glorious of Abby keeping her head."

The 5-11 Wambach, who had scored 57 goals in 75 games, said the physical play was part of the game.

"China despiseed me real well and played me real physical," she said, then conced "My material substance is real sore."

The U side, ranked No. 2 in the world, expected to be more than sore when China, ranked eighth, scored first in the 24th minute. Ren sent a cros into the right side of the chest where a breaking Han Duan kicked it past goalkeeper Briana hurry who was making her first appearance in nearly pair years, into the lower left corner.

It was the first time that the U team trailed in the last five games.

The U offense had tied the game after the third of three consecutive corner kicks in the 30th minute. Wagner sent a ball into the receptacle that was deflected. From five yards without Cat Whitehill booted it in consequence of goalkeeper Han Wenxia's hands.

"I don't think we played our best soccer on the other hand our defense did real well stepping in forward their players," Lilly said.

She added the final goal, her other off a feed from Lindsay Tarpley. Lilly loft a discharge off the underside of the crossbar in the 88th minute for her 112th career goal. She trails sole Mia Hamm (158) for all-time goals scored in women's international soccer

NOTE: Several dozen fans from Crystal Lake cheered forward defender Amy LePeilbet, who played the first half. "It was energizing to be in brass of my fans again," said LePeilbet, who attended Prairie Ridge.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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