Hamm scored her goals in a 16-minute span to put the game away after Tiffeny Milbretts 40th minute goal had given the Americans a 1-0 halftime lead.

The US team will play Italy in the final match of US Womens Cup 97 on Sunday, June 8 at 12:30 pm at RFK Stadium. The game will be televised live on ESPN.

Milbretts 30th international goal came after Kristine Lilly broke through the Canadian midfield and sent Christie Pearce into the right side of the penalty box with a through pass. Pearce beat her defender to the inside and pushed a pass across the six-yard box to Milbrett, who one-touched her shot on the ground into the left corner.

Hamm's second goal came when substitute Debbie Keller, who had entered the game just five minutes earlier, collected a poor punt from goalkeeper Nicci Wright, who was then caught stranded at the top of the penalty box. Keller shot at the wide open net from 35 yards out, but the ball died in the grass and Hamm raced in to slot her shot home from five yards.

Hamm completed the hat trick in the 74th minute when she slashed in front of her defender at the right post and flew to knock a header off Julie Foudys cross from the right side. The three scores upped Hamms international goal total to 75, coming in 128 international appearances.

Canada is scheduled to play Italy tonight at 7 at Foley Field in Worcester, MA, while the US teams next game is slated for Thursday at Upper Dublin High School in Ambler, PA at 7 pm. Australia then plays Canada on June 7 at the United German Hungarian Club in Oakford, PA.Forward Mia Hamm scored three second-half goals as a slow-starting US Womens National Team finished strong to beat Canada, 4-0 in the opening game of US Womens Cup 97 before 6,562 at Veterans Stadium in New Britain, CT on Saturday.