U.S. Women’s National Soccer team star striker Abby Wambach will make a return to Rochester, her hometown, for a Sept. 1 friendly match against Costa Rica at Sahlen’s Stadium, the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) reported this morning.

The match will begin at 2:30 p.m. and will air on NBC (not to be confused with NBC Sports, which currently carries the Major League Soccer game of the week.) Ticket details have yet to be announced.

The U.S. women are currently competing in the London Olympics, winning their first two group matches against France and Colombia before today’s contest against Korea DPR at Old Trafford in Manchester. Aided by Wambach’s two goals, one in each match, the U.S. has clinched a berth in the Olympic quarterfinals and will finish atop Group G with either a win or a tie today.

Perhaps U.S. Soccer’s decision to reward Wambach’s hometown with the first post-Olympics match is a result of the Our Lady of Mercy High School standout’s decision not to suit up for magicJack in the Women’s Professional Soccer matchat Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester immediately following last year’s World Cup due to injuries and general fatigue.

That day, Wambach was given a key to the city and earned the honor of “Abby Wambach Day” celebrated on July 20, the ESPN article notes.

The Sept. 1 contest will also mark Alex Morgan’s return to Western New York, her first match since she helped lead the Western New York Flash to the WPS title last summer. It will be interesting to keep an eye on who U.S. women’s head coach Pia Sundhage chooses for her squad in light of the physical toll of the Olympics less than a month prior.

Further reading:

— Rochester Democrat and Chronicle’s Jeff DiVeronica discusses Wambach’s return to Rochester in greater depth.

(Header photo courtesy of U.S. Soccer’s Facebook page.)