12 July 2009 - A Tip Of The Hat To Cristiane

On 12 July 2009, the Chicago Red Stars beat Gold Pride 3-1 with a hat-trick--the league's first--from Brazilian forward Cristiane.

It was the inaugural season for the USA's new women's league, Women's Professional Soccer. They held a draft the previous year, allowing each team to select four international players. Gold Pride took Brazilian star Formiga with the first pick and Chicago chose Cristiane with the fifth pick (Brazilian players Marta and Daniela went in the third and fourth spots, to Los Angeles and St. Louis, respectively).

League play started on 29 March and Cristiane already had three goals before meeting Gold Pride at Chicago's Toyota Park. Her first goal of the day came via the penalty spot after getting fouled in the 31st minute. She got her second just before the break, taking a pass from Megan Rapinoe and beating keeper Nicole Barnhart.

Gold Pride halved the deficit in the 64th minute with a penalty kick of their own, taken by Tiffeny Milbrett after a Rapinoe foul, but Cristiane restored the 2-goal margin and completed her record hat-trick just seconds later, blasting the ball into the net's top corner.

9 November 2002 - Hamm's Golden Chip

On 9 November 2002, the United States claimed their second consecutive Gold Cup with a 94th-minute goal from Mia Hamm in the Final against Canada.

The Final was a match-up of the tournaments two juggernauts, with both sides winning all of their earlier matches and conceding only a single goal between them (in Canada's 11-1 victory over Haiti in the group stage). The two teams also had a history against each other, with Canada losing to the US in the 1991 and 1994 CONCACAF Women's Championship before winning the title in 1998.

Playing before a crowd of just under 7,000 on a rain and fog-filled night at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, the US took the lead with a shot from forward Tiffeny Milbrett. Canadian striker Charmaine Hooper equalized in first-half stoppage time, scoring the tournament's only goal against the US. The match appeared to be headed for extra time when Hamm, whose injured shin had limited her role to that of second-half substitute, chipped Canada's keeper from 18 yards out for the win.

By reaching the Final, both teams qualified for the 2003 Women's World Cup. There, they met in the third place match, with the US winning again, 3-1.

22 May 1999 - The World's Greatest International Goalscorer

On 22 May 1999, forward Mia Hamm scored her 108th goal for the US women's team, making her the all-time leading scorer in international history.

The record-setting goal came a the end of the first half in a friendly against Brazil, played at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The score was tied at 0-0 when teammate Cindy Parlow sent the ball into the path of Hamm in the Brazilians' penalty area. Hamm cut to the right, fought off a defender, then shot the ball through the legs of Brazilian keeper Dida to put the US ahead 1-0.

Brazil applied intense pressure in the second half, forcing a handful of acrobatic saves from US keeper Brianna Scurry, but were unable to find the back of the net. The hosts then extended their lead to 2-0 when forward Kristine Lilly received a 72nd-minute corner kick and kneed it home. The US scored the final goal in the 87th minute as Brandi Chastain took a quick throw that caught the Brazilians off guard. The throw went in the box to Lilly, who headed it down to Tiffany Milbrett for a strong volley into the goal.

The match was a warm-up for the 1999 World Cup, which opened the next month. The US went on to win their second World Cup trophy beating China in the Final. Brazil finished in third.

It was Hamm's 172d match for the US. Before her retirement in 2004, she made a total of 275 US appearances and extended her scoring record to 158. That remained the world record until 2013, when Abby Wambach scored her 159th goal (Wambach's current total is 182).

1 August 1996 - Women's Football Goes Olympic

On 1 August 1996, the United States took the gold medal by defeating China 2-1 in the Womens' Final of the Summer Olympics before a crowd of 76,489 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. At the time, it was largest crowd in history to watch a women's sporting event.

It was the first time that women's football had been included in the Olympics. Eight teams qualified and were divided into two groups. The United States and China were in the same group and played each other to a 0-0 draw on 25 July. They both won their matches against group members Sweden and Denmark to finish in the group's top two spots, with China in first place on goal differential.

In the knockout rounds, the United States beat Norway 2-1 (a.e.t.) and China defeated Brazil 3-2 to set up the rematch in the gold medal game.

Midfielder Shannon MacMillan scored first to put the US ahead in the 19th minute, but China equalized in the 32nd minute with a goal from midfielder Sun Wen. In the 68th minute, US forward Tiffeny Milbrett again put the US ahead, then gave way to midfielder Tiffany Roberts three minutes later as the US side protected its lead to the final whistle, claiming the first ever gold medal in Olympic women's football.

2 November 2002 - Milbrett Takes Five

On 2 November 2002, Tiffeny Milbrett matched a US women's team record when she scored five times against Panama in the Gold Cup.

The US entered the competition as the defending champions and were looking for their fifth Gold Cup trophy. They opened their campaign in the tournament with a pair of 3-0 wins over Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago to set up their meeting with Panama. The Panamanians, for their part, had just been beaten 5-1 by Mexico four days earlier.

Playing at Safeco Field in Seattle, Milbrett took charge of the game early, notching a hat-trick in the first ten minutes (3', 5', 9'). Shannon McMillan added a quick brace shortly afterward (11', 14'), then Milbrett scored twice more (23', 34'). Tiffany Roberts struck home in the 40th minute to push the margin to 8-0 by the break.

On cruise control in the second half, the US looked content to maintain their lead, but Abby Wambach scored in the 86th minute to set the final score at 9-0. The US eventually went on to win the final over Canada, 2-1.

Milbrett's five goals in a single game matched the record set by Brandi Chastain against Mexico in 1991 and reached by Michelle Akers against Chinese Taipei at the 1991 World Cup. Since then, Abby Wambach (2004), Amy Rodriguez (2012), and Sydney Leroux (2012) have equaled the tally, but nobody has exceeded it.

(AP photo by Jim Bryant)

14 September 2000 - It's Not How You Start, It's How You Finish

On 14 September 2000, the Norwegian women's team kicked off the Olympics with a loss to the US, but they got their revenge in the final.

It was only the second time women's football had appeared at the Olympics. The United States won the first tournament in 1996, while Norway finished third. The two teams met in the semifinals, where the US advanced thanks to a 100th-minute golden goal from Shannon MacMillan.

They were drawn into the same group for the 2000 tournament and opened against each other at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. MacMillan was still on the team, but this time the damage was done by her teammates Tiffeny Milbrett (18') and Mia Hamm (24').

Despite the loss, Norway finished second to the US in the group and both teams advanced. They eventually reached the final, where Norway got a late goal from Dagny Mellgren (102') to win the gold medal 3-2 (a.e.t.).

12 July 2009 - A Tip Of The Hat To Cristiane

On 12 July 2009, the Chicago Red Stars beat Gold Pride 3-1 with a hat-trick--the league's first--from Brazilian forward Cristiane.

It was the inaugural season for the USA's new women's league, Women's Professional Soccer. They held a draft the previous year, allowing each team to select four international players. Gold Pride took Brazilian star Formiga with the first pick and Chicago chose Cristiane with the fifth pick (Brazilian players Marta and Daniela went in the third and fourth spots, to Los Angeles and St. Louis, respectively).

League play started on 29 March and Cristiane already had three goals before meeting Gold Pride at Chicago's Toyota Park. Her first goal of the day came via the penalty spot after getting fouled in the 31st minute. She got her second just before the break, taking a pass from Megan Rapinoe and beating keeper Nicole Barnhart.

Gold Pride halved the deficit in the 64th minute with a penalty kick of their own, taken by Tiffeny Milbrett after a Rapinoe foul, but Cristiane restored the 2-goal margin and completed her record hat-trick just seconds later, blasting the ball into the net's top corner.

9 November 2002 - Hamm's Golden Chip

On 9 November 2002, the United States claimed their second consecutive Gold Cup with a 94th-minute goal from Mia Hamm in the Final against Canada.

The Final was a match-up of the tournaments two juggernauts, with both sides winning all of their earlier matches and conceding only a single goal between them (in Canada's 11-1 victory over Haiti in the group stage). The two teams also had a history against each other, with Canada losing to the US in the 1991 and 1994 CONCACAF Women's Championship before winning the title in 1998.

Playing before a crowd of just under 7,000 on a rain and fog-filled night at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, the US took the lead with a shot from forward Tiffeny Milbrett. Canadian striker Charmaine Hooper equalized in first-half stoppage time, scoring the tournament's only goal against the US. The match appeared to be headed for extra time when Hamm, whose injured shin had limited her role to that of second-half substitute, chipped Canada's keeper from 18 yards out for the win.

By reaching the Final, both teams qualified for the 2003 Women's World Cup. There, they met in the third place match, with the US winning again, 3-1.

22 May 1999 - The World's Greatest International Goalscorer

On 22 May 1999, forward Mia Hamm scored her 108th goal for the US women's team, making her the all-time leading scorer in international history.

The record-setting goal came a the end of the first half in a friendly against Brazil, played at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The score was tied at 0-0 when teammate Cindy Parlow sent the ball into the path of Hamm in the Brazilians' penalty area. Hamm cut to the right, fought off a defender, then shot the ball through the legs of Brazilian keeper Dida to put the US ahead 1-0.

Brazil applied intense pressure in the second half, forcing a handful of acrobatic saves from US keeper Brianna Scurry, but were unable to find the back of the net. The hosts then extended their lead to 2-0 when forward Kristine Lilly received a 72nd-minute corner kick and kneed it home. The US scored the final goal in the 87th minute as Brandi Chastain took a quick throw that caught the Brazilians off guard. The throw went in the box to Lilly, who headed it down to Tiffany Milbrett for a strong volley into the goal.

The match was a warm-up for the 1999 World Cup, which opened the next month. The US went on to win their second World Cup trophy beating China in the Final. Brazil finished in third.

It was Hamm's 172d match for the US. Before her retirement in 2004, she made a total of 275 US appearances and extended her scoring record to 158.

1 August 1996 - Women's Football Goes Olympic

On 1 August 1996, the United States took the gold medal by defeating China 2-1 in the Womens' Final of the Summer Olympics before a crowd of 76,489 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. At the time, it was largest crowd in history to watch a women's sporting event.

It was the first time that women's football had been included in the Olympics. Eight teams qualified and were divided into two groups. The United States and China were in the same group and played each other to a 0-0 draw on 25 July. They both won their matches against group members Sweden and Denmark to finish in the group's top two spots, with China in first place on goal differential.

In the knockout rounds, the United States beat Norway 2-1 (a.e.t.) and China defeated Brazil 3-2 to set up the rematch in the gold medal game.

Midfielder Shannon MacMillan scored first to put the US ahead in the 19th minute, but China equalized in the 32nd minute with a goal from midfielder Sun Wen. In the 68th minute, US forward Tiffeny Milbrett again put the US ahead, then gave way to midfielder Tiffany Roberts three minutes later as the US side protected its lead to the final whistle, claiming the first ever gold medal in Olympic women's football.