The U.S. Women’s National Team booked its second European friendly of April which will come against another of the world’s top sides.
U.S. Soccer announced Tuesday that Vlatko Andonovski’s side will take on third-ranked France on April 13 at Stade Océane in Le Havre. It will be the USWNT’s second friendly in Europe, which will come three days after a meeting with fifth-ranked Sweden in Stockholm.
“We feel really fortunate to be able to get these two games during the April match window,” said Andonovski. “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. They have top class players at every position, play an exciting style and will certainly be highly motivated. They will present a lot of challenges that we will have to overcome both defensively and in the attack.”
It will be the first meeting between the USWNT and France since the quarterfinal clash at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Paris, a 2-1 triumph for the Americans in Paris that featured a pair of Megan Rapinoe goals. The USWNT went on to repeat as World Cup winners after defeating the Netherlands 2-0 in the Final.
After starting 2021 with a 5-0 record and a SheBelieves Cup title, the USWNT will hit the road for the first time this year. The USWNT will also have a chance at Olympic Gold this summer in Tokyo, after qualifying as Concacaf Tournament winners last year.