24 Players Called for WNT Friendlies vs. Australia and Belgium in Denver & LA
Following these two matches, the USA will have only its three-game “Send-Off Series” in May remaining before departing for France.
U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Jill Ellis has named the 24-player training camp roster for the USA’s two April friendlies, against Australia on April 4 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. (7 p.m. MT on FS1) and against Belgium on April 7 at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles (6 p.m. PT on ESPN2).
Following these two matches, the USA will have only its three-game “Send-Off Series” in May remaining before departing for France.
WNT April Roster (Club; Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (3):
Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC; 1/0), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride;
20/0), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 41/0)
DEFENDERS (7):
Abby Dahlkemper (NC Courage; 35/0), Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars;
17/1), Crystal Dunn (NC Courage; 80/24), Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride; 98/1),
Becky Sauerbrunn (Utah Royals FC; 153/0), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars;
27/0), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC; 30/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7):
Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars; 77/18), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC;
64/7), Rose Lavelle (Washington Spirit; 23/6), Allie Long (Reign FC; 40/6),
Samantha Mewis (NC Courage; 45/8), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit; 11/0),
McCall Zerboni (NC Courage; 8/0)
FORWARDS (7):
Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC; 146/27), Carli Lloyd (Sky Blue FC;
269/105), Jessica McDonald (NC Courage; 6/1), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride;
158/99), Christen Press (Utah Royals FC; 111/47), Mallory Pugh (Washington
Spirit; 48/13), Megan Rapinoe (Reign FC; 149/43)
Tickets
Only a small quantity of tickets remains for the USA vs. Australia
match, including Summit Club and limited view bleacher seats. All
tickets are available at ussoccer.com. Tickets for the USA vs. Belgium
match are on sale through ussoccer.com. Groups of 20 or more can submit
an online order form at ussoccer.com. Coaches Circle and Presidents
Circle members supporting the
U.S. Soccer Development Fund
can receive individual customer support and concierge services for their
ticketing needs. Contact circles@ussoccer.org for more
information.
Roster Notes:
- Forward Alex Morgan comes into the match with 99 career goals, just one shy from becoming the seventh player in U.S. history to score 100 or more.
- Defender Ali Krieger, a member of the USA’s 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup Team and the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup championship squad, returns to the roster for the first time since the 2017 Tournament of Nations. She last played for the USA against Russia in April of 2017.
- Veteran defender Kelley O’Hara was not available for selection for this roster due to an ankle issue.
- Megan Rapinoe’s next cap will be her 150th, making her the 21st American female player to hit that mark.
- Horan returns to the roster after missing the 2019 SheBelieves Cup due to a quadriceps injury, but she started the first two matches of the year in Europe against France and Spain.
- The U.S. will conduct a six-day training camp in Santa Barbara, Calif., prior to traveling to Denver to face Australia. It will be the first training camp for the U.S. Women in Santa Barbara since 1991, when the team trained there several weeks before departing for the 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup in China.
Australia and Belgium:
- After the USA went unbeaten in its first 26 matches against Australia, the last three games between the teams have produced a 3-1 win for the USA in the opening game of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, a 1-0 loss at the 2017 Tournament of Nations and a 1-1 draw on a late goal by Lindsey Horan at the 2018 Tournament of Nations.
- Australia qualified for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup by defeating Thailand in penalty kicks in the semifinal of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, before falling to Japan, 1-0, in the championship game.
- Australia was drawn into Group C in France and will face Italy, Brazil and Jamaica, in that order, at the World Cup.
- The meeting with Belgium, another fast-improving European nation, will be the first between the teams and will mark the 54th opponent for the USA in its history. Belgium finished second in UEFA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Group 6, two points behind Italy, and earned a playoff berth but fell to Switzerland in the two-leg semifinal playoff. The series was tied 3-3 on aggregate, but Switzerland went through on away goals.
- Australia is ranked sixth in the world. Belgium is ranked 21st.