Last night, history was made on the pitch in Harrison, N.J.: Abby Wambach scored four goals against South Korea and became the all-time top female scorer in the world.
That third one — scored about 30 minutes into the first half — was her 159th, and it means that Wambach has overtaken Mia Hamm, another legendary American player.
"I don't think about how I sit in history and the books," Wambach told The New York Times. "At the end of the day tomorrow, the sun comes up and I still have to keep working on my game to get better. I think that's what the best athletes do; they don't dwell on their championships or records. As soon as you win one, all you want to do is find something new and move toward that."
The Los Angeles Times reports that following the game, Hamm issued a statement, congratulating Wambach.
"I'm just so proud of her," Hamm said. "She fights for the ball, she's courageous and she never gives up. Her strength and perseverance is what makes her so great and it's what defenders and opposing teams fear."
The L.A. Times adds:
"The crowd of 18,961 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., was appreciative as well, honoring Wambach with chants of "Abby, Abby" when she was subbed out in the 58th minute. The win extended the Americans' unbeaten streak to 34 games dating to March 2012 and to 72 games at home. And when Wambach scores a goal the U.S. is 101-2-8 overall."
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