Alex Morgan turned to an old classic after finding out that the U.S. women’s national team would face European champion England in a Women’s World Cup tuneup on Oct. 7, calling back a famous goal celebration that she once trotted out against the Lionesses on the World Cup stage.
Morgan shared her elation after U.S. Soccer tweeted a photo of the tentatively scheduled match that included a previous, familiar hand gesture by the American striker, who feigned sipping tea after scoring vs. England in the 2019 Women’s World Cup semifinals.
The October matchup will mark the first time the U.S. women will have played in Wembley Stadium since 2012, though that match was the Olympic gold medal match vs. Japan. The U.S. women and England have never met at Wembley. For the Lionesses to secure the matchup with the Americans in two months, England must qualify for the ’23 World Cup in New Zealand/Australia during its September international match window.
England needs only a draw against Austria on Sept. 3 or a victory against Luxembourg at home on Sept. 6 to punch its ticket. If England is, by some manner, forced into a UEFA World Cup qualifying playoff in October, U.S. Soccer stated it would “work to agree (on) a new date for the two teams to meet in future.”
If the Lionesses handle business and face the Americans in the Oct. 7 match, the U.S. plans to set up a European friendly during the October window, “with an opponent and venue to be confirmed soon.”
The matchup at Wembley will come on the heels of some significant momentum for the hosts, who galvanized their nation by winning the Women’s European Championship. The U.S. also won a regional tournament, capturing the Concacaf W Championship title and clinching World Cup and Olympic berths along the way. The U.S. remains the reigning world champion, having beaten Netherlands—coached then by current England manager Sarina Wiegman—in the final following its win over the Lionesses in the semis.
