Vlatko Andonvoski spoke about changing and shaking up the U.S. women’s national team roster. However, any radical changes that new U.S. head coach wants to make are going to wait a bit longer. Right now, Andonovski is keeping it conservative with his roster.
The former National Women’s Soccer League manager called in 28 players for the upcoming January training camp in Tampa, Florida. He will have to dwindle his roster down to 20 players for the upcoming Concacaf Olympic qualifiers.
There are six players on the current roster who were not part of the 2019 World Cup-winning team this past summer. Andi Sullivan, Jane Campbell, Midge Purce, Casey Short, Sophia Smith and Lynn Williams were named to the first roster of 2020.
Also of note, Tierna Davidson is back in the U.S. fold after recovering from injury. She has 25 international appearances, and missed out on the Chicago Red Stars NWSL Championship match against the North Carolina Courage with an ankle injury.
“The players are coming off their break, so I know everyone will be excited, rested, refreshed and ready to tackle our next goals, which are having a productive training camp and preparing for Olympic Qualifying,” Andonovski said. “A long-time strength of this team has been the internal competition on the training field and our coaching staff is looking forward to seeing that during camp as it will help us pick the best team to take to qualifying and try to earn our berth to Tokyo.”
‘We need to evolve’: How Kate Markgraf plans to keep the USWNT on top
There is only one non-professional player on the roster. Smith, who recently won the NCAA College Cup with Stanford, joins the senior national team after participating in Andonovski’s identification camp in December. Also attending in the ID camp were Purce and Campbell.
Williams will be traveling in from Australia, where she is playing on loan with Western Sydney Wanderers.
During the January camp, the United States will strictly train. There will be no friendly matches. Instead, the team begins their quest for a ticket to the Tokyo Games with the Concacaf Olympic qualifiers. The United States was drawn into a group with Haiti, Panama and Costa Rica from Jan. 28 to Feb. 3.
All three group matches will be held at BBVA Stadium in Houston, Texas. Meanwhile, the semifinals will be held on Feb. 7 and the final will be Feb. 9, with both matches in Carson, California, at the Dignity Health Sports Park.
Full USWNT Roster for January 2020
Goalkeepers: Jane Campbell (Houston Dash; 3/0), Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC; 3/0), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride; 24/0), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 57/0)
Defenders: Abby Dahlkemper (North Carolina Courage; 53/0), Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars; 25/1), Crystal Dunn (North Carolina Courage; 96/24), Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride; 104/2), Kelley O’Hara (Utah Royals FC; 125/2), Margaret Purce (Portland Thorns FC; 1/0), Becky Sauerbrunn (Utah Royals FC; 171/0), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars; 31 /0), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC; 40/0)
Midfielders: Morgan Brian (Chicago Red Stars; 87/8), Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars; 95/19), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC; 78/12), Rose Lavelle (Washington Spirit; 38/10), Allie Long (Reign FC; 51/8), Samantha Mewis (North Carolina Courage; 60/14), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit; 15/0)
Forwards: Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC; 162/32), Carli Lloyd (Sky Blue FC; 288/121), Jessica McDonald (North Carolina Courage; 14/2), Christen Press (Utah Royals FC; 130/51), Mallory Pugh (Washington Spirit; 62/18), Megan Rapinoe (Reign FC; 160/50), Sophia Smith (Stanford; 0/0), Lynn Williams (North Carolina Courage; 21/6)
Inside Kate Markgraf’s unique approach to the USWNT coaching search
