CHICAGO – The entire 21-player roster for the United States from this summer’s 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup will face Canada during the “WNT Celebration Series” on Sept. 17 at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan., and on Sept. 22 at JELD-WEN Field in Portland, Ore.
These will be the first matches for the U.S. Women since the historic tournament in which the Americans fell to Japan in the World Cup Final after a dramatic penalty kick shoot-out.
Both games will be broadcast live with the USA’s first visit to the recently opened LIVESTRONG Sporting Park kicking off at 6 p.m. CT on FOX Soccer. While the U.S. team has played nine matches in Portland and six at previous incarnations of the venue (going 5-1-0), this will be the first match for the U.S. Women at the newly renovated JELD-WEN Field. The match will kick off at 8 p.m. PT live on ESPN2.
Tickets starting at $22 are currently on sale to the public for both games through ussoccer.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers throughout the Kansas City and Portland areas, as well as at the stadium ticket offices. Approximately 1,000 general admission and 200-level corner tickets remain for the match in Portland before obstructed-view seats become available.
Groups of 20 or more can obtain an order form at ussoccer.com or call 312-528-1290. Ultimate Fan Tickets (special VIP packages that include a premium ticket, a custom made official U.S. National Team jersey with name and number, VIP access to the field before and after the game, and other unique benefits) are also available exclusively through ussoccer.com.
All the stars from the exciting run in Germany will be representing the United States in these two matches, including forward Abby Wambach and goalkeeper Hope Solo, who were recognized for their exceptional performances with the Silver and Bronze Ball awards, respectively, as the second and third-best players in the tournament. Solo also grabbed the Golden Glove as the top goalkeeper during a tournament in which she passed 100 career caps. Wambach won the Bronze Boot as the tournament’s third leading scorer. Her four goals upped her career World Cup tally to 13 breaking the U.S. record previously held by Michelle Akers (12). Wambach now has 122 career goals, just eight shy of tying Kristine Lilly for second on the USA’s all-time goal scoring list.
Solo will be honored for earning her 100th cap before the USA’s match in Portland. She becomes just the second U.S. goalkeeper to reach that mark after Briana Scurry, who played in 173 career games.
The U.S. and Canada will be meeting for the 49th and 50th times in history, the most for the USA against any country, with the U.S. holding a 41-3-4 series edge. The teams most recently met in the second match of this year during the Four Nations Tournament in China, a 2-1 U.S. victory on goals by Lauren and Lindsay Tarpley. Canada features one of the world’s top strikers in Christine Sinclair, who along with U.S. super-sub Alex Morgan helped lead the Western New York Flash to the 2011 Women’s Professional Soccer championship this past weekend.
The appearance at the brand new, state-of-the art LIVESTRONG Sporting Park will be the first in Kansas for the U.S., although the team has played in Arrowhead Stadium on the Missouri side of the state line four times, compiling a 2-0-2 record. Two of those meetings came in post-Women’s World Cup tours in 1999 and 2003, and the most recent was a 1-0 win against Mexico in the Fan Celebration Tour following the 2004 Olympics.
The U.S. Women have a record of 12-3-2 in 2011 and are riding a 49-game unbeaten streak at home, compiling a record of 44-0-5 during that time. Carli Lloyd leads the team with six goals in 2011, while Wambach, Alex Morgan and Lauren Cheney have scored five each.
UNITED STATES WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER - Detailed Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): Nicole Barnhart (Philadelphia Independence), Jill Loyden (magicJack), Hope Solo (magicJack)
DEFENDERS (7): Rachel Buehler (Boston Breakers), Stephanie Cox (Boston Breakers), Ali Krieger (FFC Frankfurt), Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Heather Mitts (Atlanta Beat), Christie Rampone (magicJack), Becky Sauerbrunn (magicJack)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Shannon Boxx (magicJack), Tobin Heath (Sky Blue FC), Lori Lindsey (Philadelphia Independence), Carli Lloyd (Atlanta Beat), Kelley O’Hara (Boston Breakers), Heather O’Reilly (Sky Blue FC), Megan Rapinoe (magicJack)
FORWARDS (4): Lauren Cheney (Boston Breakers), Alex Morgan (Western New York Flash), Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence), Abby Wambach (magicJack)
