Wales manager Gemma Grainger has said that the invitation from the reigning world champions USA to feature in their Women’s World Cup send-off match next month should be viewed as a “sign of respect” and a tangible marker of the evolution of women’s football in Wales.
Wales Women were extended an invitation from the USA to play a friendly on July 9 in San Jose as a final preparation match ahead of the four-time World Cup winners’ journey to Australia and New Zealand for this summer’s showpiece event. The match will mark the first time Wales Women will play outside Europe in the history of the women’s national team.
Grainger’s side suffered last-ditch heartbreak in their World Cup qualifying campaign as they fell to a 2-1 defeat to Switzerland in their play-off qualification final last year in the dying seconds of extra time.
