USWNT
USWNT - China: How many times have they faced each other and what were the results?
The United States end the year with two friendly matches against China in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Frisco, Texas.
After a bitterly disappointing 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the United States women’s national team have already got their eyes firmly fixed on the 2024 Olympic Games, which will take place in Paris between 26 July and 11 August next year. The Stars and Stripes ramp up their preparation for the tournament this week with not one but two friendly matches against China, a familiar foe over the years.
What is the USWNT’s record against China? When did they last meet?
The matches to be played at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (2 December) and Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas (5 December) will be the 59th and 60th meetings between the two countries respectively, with Canada the only more frequent opponent for the USWNT.
Saturday’s match will, however, be the first between the teams since 12 June 2018, when Megan Rapinoe and Tobin Heath netted in a 2-1 victory in Cleveland, Ohio, which was also part of a friendly double-header.
Given their dominance of international women’s soccer, it won’t come as a surprise to read the United States very much have the upper hand in the rivalry, especially in recent encounters. The North American side have won 36, drawn 13 and lost nine of the 58 matches played, with 24 of their triumphs coming in the last 29 meetings.
United States’ World Cup glory against China
The most high-profile match-ups have, of course, come at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The two countries met twice in the 1995 tournament in Sweden, playing out thrilling 3-3 draw in the group stage before the USWNT won 2-0 in the third-place playoff.
The Americans will have especially happy memories of playing China in two others tournaments. In 1999, they won their second World Cup in Pasadena, California after defeating the Asian side in a penalty shootout in the final itself, while they also beat the Steel Roses in the 2015 quarter-finals in Ottawa on the way to lifting the trophy again.
And speaking of the Olympics, the U.S. won gold at the 1996 Games in Atlanta, Georgia thanks to their 2-1 victory over China in the final game of the tournament.