USWNT to host China for pair of December friendlies as part of Olympic prep
CHICAGO – The U.S. Women’s National Team will finish its 2023 schedule with two December friendly matches against China PR, taking place on Dec. 2 at DRV PNK Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (3 p.m. ET on TNT, Universo and Peacock) and Dec. 5 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas (7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET on TruTV, Universo and Peacock).
The rivalry with China PR dates to the beginning of the USWNT program as the two countries first played in 1986. Over the years, China PR has become the USA’s second-most frequent opponent, behind only Canada, with the teams meeting 58 times. The series includes some of the most famous games in USWNT history, most notably the 1996 Olympic gold medal game and the 1999 Women’s World Cup Final, but the USA and China PR haven’t played in over five years, last meeting in a pair of friendlies in June of 2018.
These two matches will be the 17th and 18th and final games of the year for the USWNT, which is 11W-3D-0L in 2023 and has allowed just two goals. The USA will face Colombia on Oct. 26 in Sandy, Utah and again on Oct. 29 in San Diego before the year-end games against China PR.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- This will be the second match for the USWNT at DRV PNK Stadium, at least in this current incarnation of the venue. The U.S. Women did play matches at the old Lockhart Stadium on the same ground in 1999 and 2000. The USA hosted Germany at DRV PNK Stadium on November 10, 2022, in its penultimate match of that year.
- The match at Toyota Stadium, home to the National Soccer Hall of Fame, will be the USA’s 12th match at the venue where the U.S. team has never lost and its second time playing in Frisco in 2023. The USA defeated Brazil 2-1 at Toyota Stadium on February 22 in the final game of the 2023 SheBelieves Cup. Alex Morgan and Mallory Swanson scored for the USA in the win.
- China PR, ranked 15th in the world, is coming off its fourth consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup appearance and is gearing up for the 2024 AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the Second Round of which is being held in Australia from Oct. 26-Nov. 1. China is in Group B with South Korea, Thailand and North Korea. The group winners from three groups and the best second place team will earn berths to the Third (and final) Round, which consists of the final four teams being paired off to play two-leg series with the winners of those earning berths to the Summer Olympics in Paris.
- China is coming off a 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup where it failed to advance out of group play, losing 1-0 to Denmark on a 90th minute goal, defeating Haiti 1-0 on a 74th minute penalty kick from Racing Louisville’s Wang Shuang, and then folding in a 6-1 loss to England that ended the Steel Roses’ World Cup dreams.
- Wang is currently the only Chinese player in the NWSL and the first Chinese player to score in the league.
