Angela Hucles gets her point made

By Stephen Wade

BEIJING

Angela Hucles is getting a second chance with Pia Sundhage - and she's making the most of it.

As the coach of the WUSA's Boston Breakers in 2003, Sundhage traded Hucles to the San Diego Spirit.

Fast forward five years and she's no longer unwanted by the Sweden-born coach.

Hucles, 33, is the top American goal scorer heading into Thursday's Olympic gold medal women's soccer game against Brazil, the fourth straight Olympic final for the U.S. women. And the U.S. coach is... none other than Sundhage.

A substitute midfielder who didn't play in last year's World Cup in China, it was Hucles that Sundhage went to a month ago when striker Abby Wambach broke her leg in an exhibition victory against Brazil. Hucles, of Virginia Beach, took Wambach's spot and, a few practices later, the team was on a plane for Beijing.

"I didn't even know what my role was going to be until I arrived in China," Hucles said Tuesday.

She's doing what Wambach did - score goals - as she plays up front with Amy Rodriguez. Unlike Wambach, who runs at opponents or serves as a target for headers, Hucles keeps possession and looks for Rodriguez breaking for an open area.

Hucles has three goals in the Olympics - and three earlier this season - which nearly matches her total in the six previous years on the U.S. national team.

Hucles' biggest adjustment is hogging the ball and shooting it. She was scolded early in the tournament for not letting it rip, which she did with two goals in Monday's 4-2 victory against Japan.

"I have to switch not just how I play, but mentally what's expected of me and what's needed," Hucles said, the all-time scoring leader at the University of Virginia. "Being on the front line, I'm expected to shoot more instead of pass, which is what I might have done in the past."