USWNT to face Sweden, Norway on Scandinavia tour in June
CHICAGO (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Women’s National Team will play Sweden on June 8 at the Gamla Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg as part of a two-game tour of Scandinavia that will also see the USA face Norway on June 11 at Komplett Arena in Sandefjord, which is located on the southeast coast about 75 miles south of Oslo.
“We are playing some high-level matches at home this year, but it’s also extremely valuable to take the team overseas and deal with the challenges that the travel and playing in these kinds of environments present,” U.S. head coach Jill Ellis said. “With the next World Cup in France, any games we can get in Europe are a positive, especially against two teams that will be sharp and in the final stages of their preparations for the Euros. Sweden and Norway both have experienced, talented players and always present different kinds of challenges for us, which is what we enjoy and need.”
The match against Sweden will kick off at 1:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and Univision Deportes Network (7:30 p.m. local time) and will mark the first meeting between the teams since the quarterfinal of the 2016 Olympics which saw Sweden triumph in a penalty kick shootout after a 1-1 tie through regulation and overtime. Gamla Ullevi seats just over 18,000 fans and is considered the national stadium for the Sweden Women’s National Team.
The match against Norway will kick off at 1:15 p.m. ET on FOX (7:15 p.m. local time) and will mark the 50th meeting between the historic rivals who combined to win the first five FIFA world championships for women.
Both Sweden and Norway are preparing for the 2017 UEFA Women’s Euro that kicks off in the Netherlands on July 16.
Additional Notes:
- Sweden is currently ranked 6th in the world, tied with Japan.
- The USA has played Sweden 37 times dating back to 1987 and the USA leads the all-time series with a record of 20-6-11. Only China PR (13 draws) have tied the USA as many times as Sweden.
- In the last 12 matches with Sweden dating back to 2010, the USA is 4-3-5, making for one of the most competitive rivalries among the world’s top teams in recent years.
- The USA has failed to beat Sweden in the last four games between the teams, losing 1-0 at the Algarve Cup in 2014, tying 1-1 at the Algarve Cup in 2013, tying 0-0 in group play at the 2015 Women’s World Cup and falling in penalties at the 2016 Olympics. The USA outshot Sweden in of those four matches and by a combined 69-24.
- The USA has played against Sweden in Sweden just twice before, a 1-0 win in Skelleftea in the summer of 2008 as Carli Lloyd scored the USA’s lone goal and a 3-1 win in Halmstad in the summer of 2012 as Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan and Tobin Heath scored. Sweden’s all-time leading scorer Lotta Schelin tallied for her country.
- The U.S. Women went on a similar trip in the summer of 2008, but played in Norway first, a 4-0 win in Fredrikstad, before heading to Skelleftea and earning the 1-0 victory.
