News Release – U.S. Women’s Soccer vs. Mexico at PGE Park

The Oregon Sports Authority announced today that the U.S. Women’s Soccer National Team will play Mexico in a match at PGE Park on October 17 at 7 p.m. The game will follow the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup being staged from Sept. 10-30 in China.

“We are excited to bring the newest generation of women’s soccer superstars back to Portland,” said Drew Mahalic, CEO of the Oregon Sports Authority, which helped bring the game to PGE Park. “The Portland region has always embraced the U.S. Women’s Team with unparalleled enthusiasm and we expect they will be greeted with the same type of electric atmosphere at PGE Park on October 17.”

Following a previously announced match in St. Louis on Oct. 13, the U.S. women will play in Portland before wrapping up the three-game series vs. Mexico in Albuquerque on Oct. 20.

The games will feature the U.S. Women’s World Cup team that kicks off the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup on Sept. 11 vs. North Korea in Chengdu, China. The tournament concludes with the final in Shanghai on Sept. 30.

Tickets starting at $20 go on sale to the general public this Friday, August 24, at 10 a.m. through ussoccer.com, by phone at 503-224-4400, and at all Portland-area Ticketmaster ticket centers (including Fred Meyer and Joe’s Sports, Outdoor & More). Groups of 20 or more can obtain an order form by calling 503-234-4500.

The Oct. 17 match will be the sixth visit by the U.S. WNT to PGE Park and the 10th match played in Oregon. The U.S. has an 8-1-0 record in the state, with the lone loss a surprising semifinal defeat by Germany in the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The last appearance for the U.S. in Portland was a 7-0 victory vs. Ukraine in 2005 at Merlo Field at the University of Portland that featured the 100th career goal from Portland legend Tiffeny Milbrett.

“We are thrilled to again be hosting U.S. Women’s soccer at PGE Park,” said Merritt Paulson, PGE Park president. “Attracting big soccer events to PGE Park and Portland is very important to us and this game is representative of what we are looking to do going forward.”

The Portland game will be a homecoming of sorts for U.S. defender Stepanie Lopez. Lopez, the youngest player on the 2007 Women’s World Cup roster, plays at the University of Portland where she helped the Pilots win the NCAA title in 2005. She will return to the Pilots after the Women’s World Cup to finish out her senior year.

The U.S. Women’s World Cup roster features ‘Queen of Caps’ Kristine Lilly, who has made 330 appearances and scored 125 goals (second all time to Mia Hamm). The U.S. captain will be making her fifth appearance in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Also on the roster is Abby Wambach, who has scored 77 goals, good for fifth all time in U.S. history.

The U.S. is unbeaten since head coach Greg Ryan took over the team in March of 2005 with a 38-0-7 record; the only blemish coming when the U.S. fell in penalty kicks to Germany in the 2006 Algarve Cup final. This year the team has a 12-0-2 record with one game remaining in the Women’s World Cup Send-Off Series vs. Finland on Aug. 25 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

As a special benefit to VISA cardholders, a VISA-only pre-sale will be held between 10 a.m. and 11 p.m. PT on Thursday, August 23, at ussoccer.com. VISA, the preferred payment card of U.S. Soccer, is the only payment method accepted for this advance sale opportunity.

Oregon Sports Authority
The mission of the Oregon Sports Authority is to position the state of Oregon as the preferred location for select amateur and professional sports events, franchises and related activities in order to enhance the quality of life of Oregonians and to stimulate the state’s economy.