Canada's women's soccer team will face the Americans in a pair of games in July, the teams' first meeting since the quarter-finals of last summer's Beijing Olympics.
Canada will play the U.S. on July 19 at Rochester Rhinos Stadium in Rochester, N.Y., and July 22 at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C.
The Canadians lost 2-1 in overtime to the U.S. in the Olympic quarter-finals. The Americans went on to win gold.
The Americans and Canadians are familiar foes having met 44 times. This will be the first time that Carolina Morace has faced the U.S. as Canada's head coach, however. Morace, a former star player and Italian women's coach, took over Canada in February.
''Players who are trying new things for their new coach could be very unpredictable, and we need to respond to that with our tactical skills,'' U.S. coach Pia Sundhage said. ''It has always been challenging to play our neighbour and I'm looking forward to dealing with their new style which will probably be a little influenced by Italian soccer.
''I believe it's also important for us to get to know the new Canada because we will surely play them in World Cup qualification.''
Morace guided the Canadian team to second place in the Cyprus Cup in March where the Canadian women went 2-1-1.
Morace makes her home debut as coach on May 25 when the Canadian women host Japan at BMO Field in Toronto.
- With files from The Associated Press.
