Sliding feet first, Lori Chalupny scored 57 seconds into the game — the second-fastest goal in the history of the Women's World Cup.

The goal came amid heavy rain and with a typhoon on the way, sending the United States past Nigeria, 1-0, yesterday at Shanghai, China, and into the quarterfinals against England.

Abby Wambach took a throw-in from Cat Whitehill and headed the ball to Chalupny. She settled it off her chest and chipped a short right-footed shot that deflected off a defender behind goalkeeper Precious Dede.

"It's a set piece we've been working on," Chalupny said. "Abby just got the perfect flick on it, kind of what we draw up in practice, and it just happened to bounce right to me."

The only quicker goal in tournament history was a 30-second score by Sweden's Lena Videkull in 1991.

The U.S. finished first in Group B — the toughest of the tournament with three of the world's top five teams. Next up is England Saturday in the northern city of Tianjin.

North Korea lost 2-1 to Sweden in yesterday's other Group B game, but still advanced to face defending champion Germany Saturday in the central city of Wuhan. The final is Sept. 30 in Shanghai.

The typhoon, packing 190 mph winds, was expected to be the worst to hit Shanghai in a decade and prompted FIFA to reschedule two games. Four other teams will qualify in Groups C and D. Norway, Australia, Brazil and China are the favorites.

VOLLEYBALL

U.S. WOMEN GO TO 2-0

The U.S. Women's national team swept Mexico, 25-6, 25-13, 25-10, yesterday during the second day of the NORCECA Women's Continental Championship at Winnipeg, Canada.

Team USA improves to 2-0 in the tournament's Pool B and will face Dominican Republic (2-0) today. The winner will advance into the medal round semifinals Friday. The loser will face the third-place team from Pool A in a cross-over quarterfinal tomorrow. The NORCECA Championship is Saturday afternoon.

Ogonna Nnamani sparked the U.S. offense with 14 points. Former Hawai'i All-American Heather Bown was 6-for-9 with two blocks and an ace. Setter Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, another former UH All-American, contributed six points with five aces — four to start the match — and a kill in two games. Honolulu's Lindsey Berg scored all four of her points on aces.

In men's play, Reid Priddy had eight of his 16 kills in the second game and had two aces and a block to lead the United States to a 25-19, 27-25, 25-18 over Puerto Rico yesterday in the NORCECA championships at Anaheim, Calif.

Hawai'i's Clay Stanley added 10 kills and two aces for the United States (3-0), which finished unbeaten in group play and drew a bye into tomorrow night's semifinals.

AND WHAT'S MORE . . .

Kasey Kahne is the new beer man, picking up Budweiser yesterday as the primary sponsor for his No. 9 Dodge. The sponsorship was announced at Gillett Evernham Motorspots in Statesville, N.C. ... Vania King, an 18-year-old Californian ranked No. 90 in the world, upset top-seeded Marion Bartoli of France, 6-1, 7-5, yesterday in the first round of the Sunfeast Open at Calcutta, India. ... Fifth-seeded Martina Hingis advanced to the second round of the China Open in Beijing with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Sun Tiantian of China.