Wisconsin Soccer Central

The U.S. Futsal national team is back in Milwaukee, training at the Kern Center ahead of friendlies against France this week at the facility on the Milwaukee School of Engineering campus.

The Americans, under former Milwaukee Wave coach Keith Tozer and assistant Mark Litton (Racine St. Catherine's/UW-Parkside), went unbeaten at the Four Nations Tournament last week in Newcastle, England, but finished second.

The defending champion U.S. thumped Qatar 5-1 in its opener Thursday, then played 1-1 draws with Cyprus on Friday and tournament champion England on Sunday.

The U.S. squad, which is ranked 34th in the world and includes midfielder Philip Suprise (Milwaukee Pius), will face No. 39 France on Thursday and Saturday. Kickoff for both matches is set for 7 p.m. and admission is free.

Additionally, the Americans will train from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. to noon Friday at the Kern Center, and those sessions are open to the public.

Tozer, Litton and several U.S. Futsal team players also will appear at the inaugural World Futsal Fest, which runs from 1 to 7 p.m. Saturday on Juneau Ave., leading up to the game against France that night.

• University of Wisconsin midfielder Rose Lavelle started and played 75 minutes as the U.S. Under-20 women's national team beat host France 1-0 in a friendly Tuesday in Plabennec. The teams, which both are preparing for this summer's FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup in Canada, will square off again Friday in Plougastel.
• Shannon Smyth (Mequon/Milwaukee DSHA) is one of 20 players called into training camp for the Republic of Ireland women's national team ahead of UEFA Women's World Cup qualifiers against Croatia on Saturday in Dublin and away to Russia on June 19 in Krasnoarmeysk. Smyth has earned 30 caps for the Irish, who stand third in Group A with a 2-2-1 record midway through qualifying. The group winner, which undoubtedly will be Germany (8-0-0), earns a spot in the 2015 Women's World Cup in Canada, while the top four second-place teams among the seven groups will play off for the final UEFA berth. On Twitter: @ShannonSmyth