Jan. 16, 2008

USC junior forward Amy Rodriguez got the United States Women's National Team off to a good start for 2008, scoring two goals for Team USA in a 4-0 win over Canada at the Four Nations Tournament in Guangzhou, China. Making her sixth appearance with the U.S. senior squad, Rodriguez earned her first-ever start in the opening game. During the second half, she tallied her first career goals at the senior national team level, punching in her first goal in the 51st minute and then getting the United States up 2-0 with another strike in the 62nd minute.

Rodriguez played the full 90 minutes for the U.S. squad, and helped add further to the USA goal tally when she served up an assist on the final goal of the day. In the 78th minute, Rodriguez assisted on Lindsay Tarpley's second goal in the game. Rodriguez and the U.S. team now turn to face Finland in the next game of the Four Nations Tournament. USA and Finland will play on Jan. 18, with the final game of the competition against host China on Jan. 20.

Rodriguez is coming off a powerful junior season at USC. She had her first collegiate two-goal game in the semifinals of the 2007 NCAA Tournament, when the Trojans topped UCLA 2-1 before claiming the national championship with a 2-0 win over Florida State in the final. USC's leading scorer in 2007 with 10 goals, Rodriguez was also recently named the UMBRO/Soccer News Net Women's College Player of the Year.

For more coverage of the USA at the Four Nations Tournament, visit the U.S. Soccer site.