US to play Senegal on May 31 in pre-World Cup friendly in North Carolina

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (AP) — The United States will play Senegal in a friendly on May 31 at Charlotte, North Carolina, in the Americans’ next-to-last game before their World Cup opener.

The U.S. has four games remaining before co-hosting the World Cup with Mexico and Canada. The 14th-ranked Americans play No. 8 Belgium on March 28 and sixth-ranked Portugal three days later, both at Atlanta. After meeting 19th-ranked Senegal, the U.S. faces No. 9 Germany on June 6 at Chicago.

This will be the first meeting between the Americans and Senegal. The U.S. Soccer Federation announced the Senegal match on Thursday.

At the World Cup, the U.S. opens Group D against No. 39 Paraguay on June 12 at Inglewood, California, faces 26th-ranked Australia seven days later at Seattle and closes the group stage back in Inglewood on June 25 against the winner of playoffs among Turkey (No. 25), Slovakia (45), Romania (47) and Kosovo (80).

Senegal starts Group I against No. 3 France on June 16 and 29th-ranked Norway six days later, both in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Lions of Teranga finish the first round on June 26 in Toronto against Bolivia (76), Iraq (58) or Suriname (123).