The United States' Abby Wambach celebratres a goal against England. The U.S. won, 3-0, on Saturday in Tianjin, China, to advance to the Women's World Cup semifinals.

Tianjin, China ? Abby Wambach and Kristine Lilly held a players meeting in their hotel room a day before the United States played England in the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup.

All meetings should be so productive.

Having aired any grievances, the U.S. went on to defeat England, 3-0, Saturday on second-half goals from Wambach, Shannon Boxx and Lilly during a 12-minute span.

“We came together and we said: ‘Everybody get off your shoulders what you want to say,'” defender Cat Whitehill said. “It was just kind of an open forum for us. Just to say this is what I think is working, and this is what I think isn’t working. I think it really helped us.”

The No. 1-ranked Americans advanced to Thursday’s semifinal in Hangzhou. The final is Sept. 30 in Shanghai, with the U.S. seeking a third title to go with the ones from 1991 and ’99.

The Americans will meet the winner of today’s Brazil-Australia quarterfinal in Tianjin, with the South Americans heavily favored. In Saturday’s other quarterfinal in Wuhan, Germany defeated North Korea, 3-0, and will play Norway or China in the semifinals.

After a scoreless first half, Wambach banged in a header in the 48th minute, directing home a corner kick from Lilly before a crowd listed at 29,000, although far fewer fans seemed to be in 60,000-seat Olympic Center Stadium. It was her fourth goal of the tournament and her 81st for the national team in 100 appearances.

Boxx made it 2-0 in the 57th after Whitehill stripped the ball from England’s Jill Scott near midfield. The ball fell to Boxx, who scored on a low, long shot that went in off the fingertips of surprised England goalkeeper Rachel Brown.

“The first goal is always the hardest,” Boxx said.

In the 60th minute, Lilly finally broke through with her first goal of this tournament and her eighth in World Cup play.