Racing Louisville forward Wang Shuang departed for China on Sunday in preparation for the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
China will begin national team camp in the coming days, with the squad announcement expected shortly after that. One of the stars of the team, Wang scored twice at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and is considered a likely selection for the Asian Games.
Wang, a regular starter for Racing, hopes to return to Louisville in mid-October. She has two goals and two assists in 17 starts for the Louisville side, including an assist on the equalizer in Saturday’s 2-1 win over the first-place Portland Thorns.
The Asian Games were originally scheduled for 2022 but postponed a year because of COVID-19 concerns. The event starts just a month after the completion of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where Wang scored twice but China failed to advance from the group stage.
Wang and China kick off the Asian Games on Sept. 22, taking on Mongolia in Hangzhou. China’s second group stage match is set for Sept. 28 against Uzbekistan.
The hosts will be among the favorites in the 17-team tournament, along with Japan, which is coming off a run to the quarterfinals of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The knockout stage, which starts with an eight-team quarterfinal, starts Sept. 30, with the gold and bronze medal matches set for Oct. 6.
China’s schedule at the Asian Games
Sept. 22 vs. Mongolia, 7:30 a.m. ET
Sept. 28 vs. Uzbekistan, 7:30 a.m. ET
