The United States Women’s National Team will face New Zealand in a friendly match at Sky Stadium in Wellington on Tuesday. The USWNT are in New Zealand for the January camps and, after a six-day training camp, will take part in a two-match series against the co-hosts of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. are the first time the USWNT will play in New Zealand in its 38-year history.
The matches are taking place outside of a traditional FIFA window and are the first for the USWNT in 2023. The January camp is a unique opportunity for Team USA to train, play and travel around the world. 2023 World Cup country. The USWNT have been drawn into Group E for the World Cup alongside the Netherlands, Vietnam and a team to be determined in an inter-confederation playoff. Either Portugal, Cameroon or Thailand will join the USWNT in the group and the entire Group E series will play their matches in New Zealand.
Here’s how you can watch the upcoming game:
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- Date: Tuesday, January 17
- Time: 10 p.m. ET
- Location: Sky Stadium — Wellington, New Zealand
- Direct: HBO-MAX
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USWNT players to watch
Head coach Vlatko Andonovski has named a 24-man roster for the two-game arrangement, and the current set of players have been part of many camps over the past year. For some, it’s the first chance of the year for the players to leave an impression on the coaching staff.
Here are three players to watch during games:
Adrian Franch
The Kansas City Current goaltender made her return to the USWNT camps at the end of 2022. After a strong regular season performance with her club team, Francy completed the 2022 NWSL season as a goal of the year and NWSL championship runner-up. It’s a welcome return to a team that will need to shore up their goalkeeper as they prepare for the World Cup.
Alyssa Naeher has been the dependable starter, but since the teams bronze medal at the Tokyo Games – where Franch was in net – there has been a spin for second place. Although she’s been cut from multiple rosters over the past year, Franch’s experiences and abilities should make her a lock for the job. Here’s hoping she gets a start in some of those matches.
Lynn Williams
Once a staple in Andonovski’s lineups, usually as a starting winger tasked with frequent off-the-ball moves, a right leg injury to Williams that required surgery has kept her unavailable in 2022. also forced an upheaval at an Andonovski frontline that often featured Williams after the 2019 World Cup.
Over the past year, the return of Mallory Swanson (ne Pugh) and the rise of Sophia Smith have all but cemented Andonoski’s attacking appearance. But Williams is finally back in the camps, and while she will likely need time to reacclimate on the pitch, she can find a place in the World Cup pool over the next few months. One of the NWSL’s longtime top scorers, look for Williams to feature in a limited number of minutes if he’s healthy and able.
Crystal Dun: One of the USWNT’s most valuable players in the modern era, Dunn returned to national team camps in late 2022 after giving birth to her son in May. Her maternity leave was split between being a mother and a teammate, often training with her club Portland Thorns FC. She scored an epic winner in the 2022 semi-final to push the Thorns to the Championship.
Despite the big moment, Dunn expressed the importance of returning to more consistent minutes. She played off the bench for club and country to close out 2022. There may be more playing minutes for her against New Zealand.
