This will be the first of two matches between the WNT and Sweden in four days with the other occurring July 17 in East Hartford. Counting the upcoming match against Germany this Saturday, this will be also the third friendly within the next two months.  

This will mark the first time the WNT travels to Nebraska. The choice of location (Creighton University) is pretty interesting, and it seems to go along with the USSF’s apparent strategy to select fairly unexpected locales. In 2010, the WNT will have played in San Diego, Salt Lake City, Cleveland, Omaha and Hartford. I like the idea of testing the marketability/attractiveness of women’s soccer in areas that are generally not within close proximity to WPS teams.

As for WPS, the Breakers/Beat and FCGP/SBFC are scheduled to play two days prior. We’ll see how the two friendlies affect WPS rosters for that week, as it undoubtedly will. Perhaps we can see some more surprises in player selection like we saw with the likes of Alex Morgan and Brittany Taylor in the Mexican friendlies earlier this year. We could also see Tobin Heath’s first appearnance for the WNT this year. The U-20′s will be in Germany at the same time for the Under-20 Women’s World Cup so no first caps for the likes of Sydney Leroux or Christine Nairn but hopefully there will be other surprises (calling Casey Nogueira, Kelley O’Hara and Allison Falk).

The match will be broadcast on ESPN2. The July 17 match will be televised on FSC and the Germany match this weekend will also be broadcast on ESPN2. Exposure? Always good.

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