Jan. 19 @2:30 p.m. ET the World Cup holder and host will meet up in Le Havre, a host city for the games on the North coast of France. Announced this same day as they will face Brazil, another world power in women's soccer with the home team being a heady 4th., making them a sereioius contender for the title in the warmer months. The champs will then face another European team not yet set. USWNT HC Jill Ellis stated, " To play France in France was an essetnial part of our scheduling preparations for next sumer. They are a top team, we need to be ready for the World Cup in 2019." Just as they opend in 2015, but hoping for a different result than that 2-0 loss in Lorient, but returned the favor just a month later 2-0 in the title game of the Algarve Cup. With the annual training camp being held in Europe, the US team is abroad the better part of the month. We were there for the most recent matchup of these two in the SheBelieves Cup at Red Bull Arena with the resulting draw. The last game of 2018 will be in Paisley, very near to Glasgow Scotland, to face their team, who made it to their first World Cup at Simple Digital Arena, a cozy 8,000 seater for Scottish Premier League team, St. MIrren FC.
Kwik Kicks:
_ USWNT has the upper hand by far with an overall record of 18-2-2, of late, 7-2-2 and a 15-10 goal differential.
- Stade Oceane, where France Ligue 2 team Le Havre AC plays had been coached by ex USMNT skipper, Bob Bradley.
- France has hosted the USWNT 3x.
- In hosting the World Cup games, France received an atuomatic bid, yet played a great schedule in facing Italy, England, Germany, USWNT, Nigeria Mexico, Cameroon, Australia & Brazil to help prep.