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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Ap

USA confirms pre-World Cup friendly opponents including team they’ve never played before

USA will face Senegal in a pre-World Cup friendly - (AP)

The United States men's national team will play Senegal in a friendly match on 31 May in Charlotte, North Carolina, marking their penultimate fixture before the World Cup.

The US Soccer Federation confirmed the encounter on Thursday, which will be the first meeting between the two nations.

This game is one of four remaining for the 14th-ranked Americans as they prepare to co-host the World Cup alongside Mexico and Canada.

Their schedule includes clashes with eighth-ranked Belgium on 28 March and sixth-ranked Portugal three days later, both held in Atlanta.

Following the match against 19th-ranked Senegal, the US will face ninth-ranked Germany on 6 June in Chicago.

At the World Cup, the United States will commence their Group D campaign against 39th-ranked Paraguay on 12 June in Inglewood, California.

Senegal will face USA next May (AFP via Getty Images)

They then play 26th-ranked Australia seven days later in Seattle, before concluding the group stage back in Inglewood on 25 June against the winner of a playoff involving Turkey (25), Slovakia (45), Romania (47), and Kosovo (80).

Senegal, meanwhile, will begin their Group I fixtures against third-ranked France on 16 June, followed by 29th-ranked Norway six days later, both in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The Lions of Teranga will complete their first-round matches on 26 June in Toronto against either Bolivia (76), Iraq (58), or Suriname (123).

Senegal will be expected to offer the US a serious test ahead of the World Cup as they have a squad that boasts some highly-talented players, including ex-Liverpool forward Sadio Mane.

Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 2021 after finishing as runners-up two years earlier.

They then went on reach the knockout stages of the 2022 World Cup, beating Qatar and Ecuador in their group, before exiting the tournament after losing 3-0 to England in the round of 16.

Senegal gained a measure of revenge by beating Thomas Tuchel’s England 3-1 in a friendly earlier this year.

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