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Soccer moms Kate Markgraf and Christie Rampone.
© U.S. Soccer / U.S. Soccer
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CHICAGO (Feb. 20, 2007) – The U.S. Women’s National Team will face Canada on Saturday, May 12, at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. The match will kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CT. Fans can follow all the action live on Fox Soccer Channel as well as ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker, and same day delay on Fox Sports en Espanol at 11 p.m. ET.
“Canada has qualified for the 2007 Women’s World Cup and deservedly so,” said U.S. head coach Greg Ryan. “They are a highly committed team and the rivalry between the U.S. and Canada makes both teams better. It will be another great opportunity for us to get players quality minutes against a Women’s World Cup-caliber opponent.”
The 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be staged from Sept. 10-30 at five venues in China.
In a game that will be played on the day before Mother’s Day, the U.S. Women’s National Team will wear unique Nike pink jerseys to support and promote Breast Cancer Awareness, marking the first-time the U.S. Women’s National Team has ever worn a special edition jersey.
The U.S. Women’s National Team has consistently featured mothers on its roster since 1994, when Joy Fawcett became the first “Soccer Mom” to give birth and continue playing at the highest levels of international soccer. Carla Overbeck and Danielle Fotopoulos also had kids while on the U.S. team, and most recently, three moms have played for the USA in defenders Kate Markgraf (mother of 6-month-old son Keegan), Christie Rampone (mother of 16-month-old daughter Riley) and Tina Frimpong (mother of almost 6-year-old MacKenzie).
Tickets starting at $18 will go on sale beginning Fri., Feb. 23, at 10 a.m. CT online at ussoccer.com, at all Dallas-Ft. Worth area Ticketmaster outlets (including Macy’s, Fiesta Stores, and FYE) and by phone at 214-373-8000. Groups of 15 or more can purchase tickets by calling U.S. Soccer at 312-528-1290 or obtaining a group order form at ussoccer.com.
Additionally, as a special benefit to VISA cardholders, a VISA-only pre-sale will be held between 10 a.m. and 11 p.m. CT on Thurs., Feb. 22 through ussoccer.com. VISA, the preferred payment card of U.S. Soccer, is the only payment method available for this pre-sale opportunity.
The match will mark the 39th meeting between the two teams, tying Norway for the most games played against an opponent in U.S. Women’s National Team history. The USA and Canada met three times in 2006 with the USA winning all three games, two in tournament finals, but all in tightly contested matches. The USA won 2-0 on July 30 in Cary, N.C., downed Canada, 1-0, on Nov. 4 in the Peace Queen Cup Final in Seoul, South Korea, and then beat the Maples Leafs, 2-1, in the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup Final at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., on Nov. 26 in the final match of the year.
The contest brings the U.S. women back to Texas for the first time since October of 2004 when the Americans defeated Ireland, 5-0, at Reliant Stadium in Houston as Abby Wambach tied a U.S. record with five goals, all in the second half. The U.S. women haven’t played in the Dallas area since 2003 when they defeated Mexico, 3-1, at the Cotton Bowl, and this will be the first trip for the U.S. women to Pizza Hut Park, home to FC Dallas of Major League Soccer.
Canada is ranked 11th in the most recent FIFA world rankings and under head coach Even Pellerud has shown its ability to compete with any team in the world. Canada played 17 matches in 2006 and lost just three, all to the USA. Canada’s best player is two-time Hermann Trophy award winner Christine Sinclair from the University of Portland, who led the Pilots to the NCAA championship in 2005 with an amazing 39 goals.
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