The United States Women’s National Soccer Team will return to Palm Beach County to face Russia on Saturday, Feb. 8 at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton. The international soccer match is scheduled to kick off at 3:30 p.m.
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission, the United States Soccer Federation and Florida Atlantic University are partnering to host this marquee international match, which represents the second appearance for the United States Women’s National Soccer Team in Palm Beach County over the past 14 months. The United States was victorious against China at FAU Stadium in December 2012.
The United States Women’s National Soccer Team has not faced Russia in more than a decade. The two teams met last in September 2002, when the United States won 5-1 in Uniondale, New York. The U.S. women have never lost to Russia, with a 5-0-1 all-time record. The United States is known as the world’s best team, currently ranked No. 1 in the FIFA women’s world rankings. Russia is a highly competitive team, ranked No. 21 in the FIFA women’s world rankings. Both teams are preparing for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“It’s always a positive to play countries that we maybe haven’t seen that often,” U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Tom Sermanni said. “The Russians have some talented players, and with eight European countries qualifying for the next Women’s World Cup, every country in that tournament is going to have to navigate some very difficult European opponents.”
The U.S. Women’s Soccer National Team is widely regarded as one of the greatest women’s sports teams in the history of the United States. The team has won three consecutive Olympic gold medals, the most recent taking place, in front of 80,203 fans at Wembley Stadium in London.
Palm Beach County is becoming a hotbed for national soccer events. The Palm Beach County Sports Commission recently announced that the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship will take place at the Seacrest Soccer Complex in Delray Beach and the NCAA Women’s Soccer National Championship will take place at FAU Stadium. Both of those events are scheduled for next December.
FAU Stadium opened in October 2011 and seats more than 29,000 spectators. It has been home to a number of high-profile sporting events, including FIFA international soccer matches and the Major League Lacrosse All Star Game. FAU is home to the only stadium in the United States that offers a picturesque view of the Atlantic Ocean.
Tickets for the soccer match went on sale to the public last Friday through www.ussoccer.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000, at all Ticketmaster outlets throughout South Florida, including Walmart, as well as at the FAU Wally Sanger Athletic Ticket Office at FAU’s Boca Raton campus. The ticket office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tickets also will be sold the day of the event at FAU Stadium.
For more information on the USA Women’s National Team, visit www.ussoccer.com.
