USWNT to host China, honor Sauerbrunn in pair of friendlies – Soccer

Julia Kapros-Imagn Photos

The US ladies’s nationwide workforce will host China in a pair of friendlies spanning Could and June, U.S. Soccer introduced on Monday. The 2-game sequence will happen Saturday, Could 31 at Allianz Discipline in St. Paul, Minn., and Tuesday, June 3 at Energizer Park in St. Louis. Turner Sports activities will broadcast each matches on TBS (Could 31) and TNT (June 3) respectively.

The match in St. Louis will characteristic a pre-match ceremony to honor native favourite Becky Sauerbrunn, who retired from soccer on the finish of 2024. Sauerbrunn appeared 219 instances for the US and was a beginning heart again on World Cup champions in 2015 and 2019. She additionally gained an Olympic gold medal in 2012.

Sauerbrunn was lately a part of the Turner Sports activities broadcast workforce on the SheBelieves Cup and will probably be within the position once more for the matches in opposition to China.

“I love these games because they combine some rich women’s soccer history with the present, with both countries going through transitions in preparation for ’27 World Cup qualifying,” U.S. coach Emma Hayes stated in a press release.

The U.S.-China rivalry helped kickstart ladies’s soccer as a world phenomenon after they met to resolve the 1996 Olympic gold medal and the 1999 World Cup. The US prevailed each instances. China has fallen from its perch as a world energy on the ladies’ soccer entrance however has continued to face the US usually. These matches will probably be their 61st and 62nd all-time.

The U.S. is exiting the SheBelieves Cup, which resulted in a loss to Japan, the primary since Emma Hayes joined the membership full-time final summer time. They may host Brazil in a pair of matches in California subsequent month.

“Our process continues and it’s a patient and comprehensive one,” Hayes’ assertion continued. “It’s up to our coaching staff to give players opportunities – opportunities they have earned – and it’s up to the players to show us they can perform at the highest levels. We are looking forward to seeing the players show their talents against an excellent team in two fantastic soccer venues.”