U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Pia Sundhage selected 30 players for a two-week training camp leading up to the tricky November 19 match versus Sweden at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, kicking off at 9 p.m. ET.
This last international match of the year is an opportunity for Sweden to challenge Norway for the honors of being the only nation to defeat the USWNT three times in a row, which Norway has done twice, first in 1994 and again in 2002. In 2011, Sweden became the only country to ever defeat the USA in a World Cup group match (2-1) and in January, defeated the USA 2-1 in the Four Nations Cup, which the United States went on to win 2-0 in the Championship final with China. Although the USA has a 54-game unbeaten streak on home soil, Sweden needs to be taken seriously.
While Sundhage might rather be testing the limits of young players to feature in the CONCACAF Olympic Women's Qualifying, which runs from January 19-29 at newly renovated BC Place, this match is not acceptable to lose and she's likely to largely feature veterans.
In the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying, USA tops Group B, which includes Mexico, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. Host Canada heads Group A, which features Costa Rica, Cuba and Haiti.
The USWNT camp selections
Sundhage selected all 21 players from her second-place team at the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup and added nine WPS, youth National Team, and college standouts.
Among the new players are goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, who was named the WPS Goalkeeper of the Year after helping lead the Western New York Flash to the 2011 championship and Whitney Engen, WPS Defender of the Year. Sundhage picked players from the U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team training camp including Meghan Klingenberg, UCLA star striker Sydney Leroux and midfielders Becky Edwards, Keelin Winters and Ingrid Wells.
More than 10,000 tickets have already been sold and tickets can be purchased through ussoccer.com and by phone at 1-800-745-3000.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster
GOALKEEPERS (4): Nicole Barnhart (Philadelphia Independence), Ashlyn Harris (Western New York Flash), Jill Loyden (magicJack), Hope Solo (magicJack)
DEFENDERS (9): Rachel Buehler (Boston Breakers), Stephanie Cox (Boston Breakers), Whitney Engen (Western New York Flash), Meghan Klingenberg (Boston Breakers), Ali Krieger (FFC Frankfurt), Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Heather Mitts (Atlanta Beat), Christie Rampone (magicJack), Becky Sauerbrunn (magicJack)
MIDFIELDERS (12): Yael Averbuch (Western New York Flash), Brittany Bock (Western New York Flash), Shannon Boxx (magicJack), Becky Edwards (Western New York Flash), Tobin Heath (Sky Blue FC), Lori Lindsey (Philadelphia Independence), Carli Lloyd (Atlanta Beat), Kelley O’Hara (Boston Breakers), Heather O’Reilly (Sky Blue FC), Megan Rapinoe (magicJack), Ingrid Wells (Georgetown), Keelin Winters (Boston Breakers)
FORWARDS (5): Lauren Cheney (Boston Breakers), Sydney Leroux (UCLA), Alex Morgan (Western New York Flash), Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence), Abby Wambach (magicJack)
FOLLOW US SOCCER EXAMINER AND LE EISENMENGER ON TWITTER AND SUBSCRIBE TO EMAIL ALERTS.
Comments