The US Soccer Federation on Monday confirmed that the US national team will be participating in a trio of friendlies in the first half of 2017 as it continues to rebound from the disappointment of missing out on the 2018 World Cup.
The USMNT, who kicked off their 2018 slate with a 0-0 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Jan. 29, will next face Paraguay on March 27. The game against LaAlbirroja is the lone home game of the three announced, and will take place at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.
The US will then head across the Atlantic in June for a two-game tour against the Republic of Ireland (June 2) and France (June 9). The game against Ireland – announced last week by the Football Association of Ireland – will take place in Dublin at Aviva Stadium, where the US last played in Nov. 2014, a 4-1 Irish victory. The game against France, which was announced by the French Football Federation in December, will take place in Lyon.
Like the US, both Paraguay and Ireland just missed out on the World Cup, while France are regarded as one of the favorites heading into this summer's tournament in Russia. The US hold a 3-2-2 all-time edge over Paraguay, with their most recent meeting coming at the 2016 Copa América Centenario, a 1-0 US victory. On their tour of Europe, the Yanks will be trying to earn their first win in six attempts on Irish soil and to secure what would be a historic result against France. Les Bleus, winners of the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship and runners-up in the 2016 Euros, have won all three of their meetings with the US and hold a 10-0 advantage in goalscoring.
The USMNT finds itself in a state of transition after failing to make the World Cup for the first time since 1986, with Dave Sarachan – an assistant under former coach Bruce Arena – guiding the team in friendlies against Portugal and Bosnia. Newly-elected USSF president Carlos Cordeiro told Fox Sports' Alexi Lalas and Grant Wahl that he would like to have a general manager in place before hiring a permanent head coach. Cordeiro added that the search to fill the GM position has already begun, and that he hopes to have that person in place before the start of summer.
