England Women v US Women Venue: Leyton Orient FC, Brisbane Road Date: 2 April Kick-off: 2000 BST Coverage: Watch live on ESPN in the US and on the FA website in the UK
Their progress in that tournament was the beginning of a rapid improvement in the England team that led them to reaching the European Championship final just two years later.
But it has been over 20 years since the Lionesses last defeated the US, currently the world's top ranked team.
They get another chance on Saturday, in a friendly at Leyton Orient's Brisbane Road ground that serves as a warm-up for the World Cup, starting in Germany at the end of June.
Have England grown tall enough to tower over the giants of women's football?
England national team coach Hope Powell believes the team is headed in the right direction at least: "Mentally, we're in a better place than we were five years ago - we've started to believe we can compete with those bigger nations.
"We got to the European Championship final [against Germany, ranked second in the world] and for 60 minutes, arguably, we did really well."
Granted, Powell's players have displayed their strength and quality in recent months - qualifying for this year's World Cup top of their group without losing a game - but to challenge a team that are twice World Cup winners and three-time Olympic champions will be one of their greatest tests.
I think we have very technical players that understand the game a little bit better
England captain Faye White
The US have already run up an impressive record in 2011, winning two warm-up tournaments in the Algarve Cup and the Four Nations, and winning their last six consecutive matches.
"They [the US] have this winning mentality and that really drives them on in sport," said Powell. "They are one of the leading nations in women's football so I think it's the right time for our players and where we are now. It'll be a great test for us going in to the World Cup."
Five of the England squad earn a living in America's Women's Professional Soccer league (WPS), which Powell feels will work to her team's advantage.
"Some of the England girls have played with the girls in America and realised that actually they're good players but they're no better than us," she said.
England captain Faye White, who also skippered the side in their previous battle with the US, is confident her team can do better this time around.
"We've improved a lot since then. I think personally we have very technical players that understand the game a little bit better," said White.
The US have been a dominant force in the women's game for over a decade.
Following their 1999 World Cup final victory in front of 90,000 home fans - which generated an explosion of interest in the women's game Stateside - a professional league, the Women's United Soccer Association, was set up in 2001.
White will lead England out against the US at Brisbane Road
Over-ambitious promoters coupled with poor investment meant the league only lasted three seasons before folding but the WPS was launched in 2009, determined not to make the same mistakes as its predecessor.
The third season of the WPS kicks off next month, with six teams competing in one of the world's most prestigious professional women's leagues.
The WPS adopts a commercially-driven, franchise model with groups of investors financing each team.
In a crowded sports market where baseball, basketball and American football take precedence, the WPS benefits from regular coverage on national broadcaster Fox Soccer Channel.
This competitive domestic league appears to be doing a world of good for the US national team - in the 23-player squad to face England, all but one plays in the WPS.
Should England's Women's Super League, which launches on 13 April, look to emulate the American example if the national team is to have similar success?
"We've worked really hard looking at other [professional] league models - the US model, the Dutch model, the German model, trying to take the best bits and putting them in to our league," said Powell.
Staying away from the business-led approach in the States, the Football Association will run and own the WSL for the first two seasons at least, investing £3m.
We've started to believe we can compete with those bigger nations
England coach Hope Powell
Each club is entitled to pay no more than four players a salary of over £20,000 in the hope it will prevent the clubs overspending.
Despite women's football being the most popular female team sport in the UK, it previously received very little coverage in the mainstream media, apart from cup finals and some international fixtures.
TV sports channel ESPN will broadcast five live games during the opening season and a weekly highlights programme.
Aiming to attract bigger crowds, the eight teams will play during the summer months between April and August, breaking in June and July to allow players to compete in the World Cup.
"It's very radical so it's going to take a little bit of time. Undoubtedly there will be teething problems but it will take a bit of time to embed and lay the foundations but I'm sure it will grow and grow," Powell said.
White believes a stronger domestic league can only be beneficial for the national side.
"I hope that with games being harder week-in, week-out it will help England," she said.
"In the past, work has gone into the development of the game, the international aspect, and now it's the domestic league that needs help. I'm looking forward to it, I think it will be positive."
The Lionesses' battle with the US will be their penultimate game before they head to Germany for the World Cup.
England have been drawn in group B alongside Japan, Mexico and New Zealand. Their opening game against Mexico is on 27 June in Wolfsburg.
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