The USWNT and France, two titans of women’s soccer, will meet again in April
“Playing France in France is one of the most difficult games we could schedule, and that’s exactly what we are looking for in the lead-up to the Olympics,” U.S. Coach Vlatko Andonovski said. “They have top-class players at every position, play an exciting style and will certainly be highly motivated.”
The United States is 18-3-3 against France, but in the past 10 meetings, the Americans are 5-2-3. Both defeats came in dominant French performances, including one in Washington four years ago.
Before bracing for the French test, however, the U.S. squad will face fifth-ranked Sweden on April 10 in Stockholm, a rematch of a World Cup group-stage game. (France will host England on April 9.)
The European trip continues efforts to face strong opponents before the Olympics. In November, the Americans hit the road to reunite with 2019 World Cup finalist Netherlands, and after two friendlies against overwhelmed Colombia, they played Canada and Brazil, who share the No. 8 ranking, at the SheBelieves Cup last month in Orlando.
By winning that tournament title, they extended their unbeaten streak to 37. They’ve also gone almost four years since losing at home, a string of 53 games. They’ve posted shutouts in six consecutive matches and in 14 of 15.
Because the upcoming matches fall inside a FIFA international match window, Andonovski will have the freedom to summon any players he wishes. That means National Women’s Soccer League teams will lose top players for the start of its Challenge Cup tournament, which runs April 9 to May 8.
Andonovski is also expected to tap into his pool of European-based players: Manchester City’s Rose Lavelle, Sam Mewis and Abby Dahlkemper; Manchester United’s Christen Press; Olympique Lyonnais’s Catarina Macario; and Paris Saint-Germain’s Alana Cook. (Manchester United’s Tobin Heath is injured.)
France did not qualify for the Olympics — the three European slots were filled by teams that advanced deepest at the World Cup — but roared through qualifying for the 2022 European Championship with a 7-0-1 record and a 44-0 goal difference.
Neither of the upcoming U.S. matches will have spectators. Everyone in the U.S. delegation will undergo coronavirus testing before traveling, upon arrival and every two days thereafter, the U.S. Soccer Federation said. Training will not commence until the results of all arrival tests are confirmed.
FOX will air the Sweden game; ESPN2 will carry the France match.
