A repeat of the 1999 Women's World Cup final! USWNT confirm double friendly meeting with China in December
U.S. Soccer have announced that the women's national team is set to host China PR in a pair of December friendlies to close out the calendar year.
WHAT HAPPENED? On December 2 and 5, the USWNT are set to host China in a pair of friendlies in Miami and Dallas. The two sides haven't met since 2018, but the Asian side are still the second-most-frequent opponent for the squad.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Both teams are coming off disappointing FIFA World Cup showings, with China PR bowing out in the group stage and the USWNT falling early in the knockout round. Looking ahead to the 2024 Paris Olympics, both sides will be treating these matches as preludes to the competition.
The USWNT are undergoing an era of change, after head coach Vlatko Andonovski resigned following their disastrous tournament, with interim head coach Twila Kilgore at the reigns for now. NWSL star and China PR talisman, Wang Shuang, is looking to lead a new era of soccer for her nation while Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and the USWNT look to leave 2023 behind.
DID YOU KNOW? This is a rematch of the 1999 FIFA World Cup final, where the USWNT claimed victory in a shootout after a scoreless draw in regulation. The event was held at the famous Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California and set a record attendance for a women's sporting event with 90,185 spectators then.
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WHAT NEXT FOR THE USWNT? The 2019 World Cup champions return to the pitch for a pair of friendlies against Colombia on October 26 and 29.
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