TicketsCINCINNATI - U.S. Soccer has announced that the United States Women's National Team (USWNT) will take on New Zealand in an international friendly on Tuesday, September 19, with the match being held at Nippert Stadium on the University of Cincinnati campus. The match, which will be aired live on FS1, will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET.
"The fact the U.S. Women's National Team will be here on our campus is unbelievable for our players," UC Head Coach Neil Stafford said. "Our team, recruits and committed players will be excited that a team of the highest level will be coming to campus. I think, as a whole, for the city, this is another part of the movement that is going on right now. Soccer in Cincinnati is just as big as it is anywhere else in the country and, to add the women's national team to that is just another feather in the cap of FC Cincinnati, as well as (UC Athletic Director) Mike Bohn and the University of Cincinnati. It is great for everybody included in soccer in the Tri-State area.
"I think the ability to be around the women you look up to as a role model or mentor is a big deal," Stafford said. "I don't feel we have enough role models and mentors for females at times, so, to have the players see their idols will be a dream come true to them and will be awesome for us to see that. Having a homegrown, local star like Rose Lavelle and the likes of Carly Lloyd, a FIFA World Player of the Year, so many others here will be fantastic. I think a lot of the players within the women's national team are great role models and high character women and, to have them on campus and in our community, will add to the experience for everyone."
This will mark the first visit to Cincinnati for the U.S. Women since 2008 and its first match at Nippert Stadium, home to UC football and FC Cincinnati of the United Soccer League. Nippert is no stranger to international soccer as FCC played host to Crystal Palace of the English Premier League last summer and is set to face Valencia CF of La Liga, the top division in Spain. FCC also has smashed records for USL and US Open Cup matches in the past two seasons while the UC women, which played host to Northern Kentucky in the inaugural Riverboat Rivalry Match last year at Nippert, drew 4,722 fans, the most to witness a collegiate women's soccer match ever in Ohio.
The USA last faced New Zealand in the opening game of the 2016 Olympics, a 2-0 victory in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, that featured goals from Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan. The match in Cincinnati will be the second of a two-game set vs. New Zealand. The teams will also play on Friday, Sept. 15 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. (8 p.m. MT on ESPN2).
// TICKETS
Tickets go on sale to the public Friday, July 21, at 10 a.m. ET through ussoccer.com and by phone at 1-800-745-3000. [Note: Tickets are NOT sold at Nippert Stadium, except on the day of the event.] Groups of 20 or more can order at ussoccer.com.
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 for both games exclusively through ussoccer.com.
// ADDITIONAL NOTES FROM US SOCCER
• The USA is 12-1-1 all-time against New Zealand, which is ranked 20th in the world.
• The teams have played once before in Cincinnati, a 6-0 U.S. win in 2004 on the post-Olympic tour after the USA won the gold medal in Athens, Greece. Goals in that game came from Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly, Aly Wagner, Julie Foudy and Cindy Parlow (2).
• These will be the first meetings with New Zealand on U.S. soil since a 4-0 win in St. Louis on April 4, 2015 in the lead up to the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.
• The USA's only loss to New Zealand came in the first match between the teams back in 1987, a 1-0 victory for the Football Ferns. The USA has gone 12-0-1 since.
• U.S. WNT midfielder Rose Lavelle hails from Cincinnati and played for youth club Cincinnati United.
• The USA's three previous matches in Cincinnati were played at Galbreath Field (1993) and Paul Brown Stadium (2004 and 2008).
"The fact the U.S. Women's National Team will be here on our campus is unbelievable for our players," UC Head Coach Neil Stafford said. "Our team, recruits and committed players will be excited that a team of the highest level will be coming to campus. I think, as a whole, for the city, this is another part of the movement that is going on right now. Soccer in Cincinnati is just as big as it is anywhere else in the country and, to add the women's national team to that is just another feather in the cap of FC Cincinnati, as well as (UC Athletic Director) Mike Bohn and the University of Cincinnati. It is great for everybody included in soccer in the Tri-State area.
"I think the ability to be around the women you look up to as a role model or mentor is a big deal," Stafford said. "I don't feel we have enough role models and mentors for females at times, so, to have the players see their idols will be a dream come true to them and will be awesome for us to see that. Having a homegrown, local star like Rose Lavelle and the likes of Carly Lloyd, a FIFA World Player of the Year, so many others here will be fantastic. I think a lot of the players within the women's national team are great role models and high character women and, to have them on campus and in our community, will add to the experience for everyone."
This will mark the first visit to Cincinnati for the U.S. Women since 2008 and its first match at Nippert Stadium, home to UC football and FC Cincinnati of the United Soccer League. Nippert is no stranger to international soccer as FCC played host to Crystal Palace of the English Premier League last summer and is set to face Valencia CF of La Liga, the top division in Spain. FCC also has smashed records for USL and US Open Cup matches in the past two seasons while the UC women, which played host to Northern Kentucky in the inaugural Riverboat Rivalry Match last year at Nippert, drew 4,722 fans, the most to witness a collegiate women's soccer match ever in Ohio.
The USA last faced New Zealand in the opening game of the 2016 Olympics, a 2-0 victory in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, that featured goals from Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan. The match in Cincinnati will be the second of a two-game set vs. New Zealand. The teams will also play on Friday, Sept. 15 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. (8 p.m. MT on ESPN2).
// TICKETS
Tickets go on sale to the public Friday, July 21, at 10 a.m. ET through ussoccer.com and by phone at 1-800-745-3000. [Note: Tickets are NOT sold at Nippert Stadium, except on the day of the event.] Groups of 20 or more can order at ussoccer.com.
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 for both games exclusively through ussoccer.com.
// ADDITIONAL NOTES FROM US SOCCER
• The USA is 12-1-1 all-time against New Zealand, which is ranked 20th in the world.
• The teams have played once before in Cincinnati, a 6-0 U.S. win in 2004 on the post-Olympic tour after the USA won the gold medal in Athens, Greece. Goals in that game came from Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly, Aly Wagner, Julie Foudy and Cindy Parlow (2).
• These will be the first meetings with New Zealand on U.S. soil since a 4-0 win in St. Louis on April 4, 2015 in the lead up to the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.
• The USA's only loss to New Zealand came in the first match between the teams back in 1987, a 1-0 victory for the Football Ferns. The USA has gone 12-0-1 since.
• U.S. WNT midfielder Rose Lavelle hails from Cincinnati and played for youth club Cincinnati United.
• The USA's three previous matches in Cincinnati were played at Galbreath Field (1993) and Paul Brown Stadium (2004 and 2008).