Washington D.C.
The U.S. women’s national team will play its first game in England when it takes on the English national team at the 9,000-seater Matchroom Stadium, the home of English League One side Leyton Orient, on April 2. Both teams are preparaing for the World Cup which will be held in in Germany from June 26-July 17.
The top-ranked U.S. team and 10th ranked English team last met in the quarterfinals of the 2007 World Cup, won by the Americans 3-0.
The game is April, part of a 20-day training camp in the U.K. for the U.S women.
“First of all, England is a soccer country and the atmosphere while playing a game there will be wonderful,” said U.S. team head coach Pia Sundhage. “The World Cup is being played in Europe so the more time we can spend there the better.”
The U.S. has met England just 10 times in its 27-year history. Four of the games have been in Europe (two in Italy, one in France, one in Portugal) and four in the United States and two in China.
Sundhage will take 23 players to England, that will also feature training matches against England and Scotland.
England features one of the world’s best players in midfielder Kelly Smith, who plays for the Boston Breakers in Women’s Professional Soccer. Smith finished fourth in the voting for FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year in 2010.
“England has an interesting way of attacking and some talented wing players,” Sundhage said. “Seeing how we deal with Kelly Smith will also be an important experience for our team.”
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