Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, Lindsey Horan headline USWNT roster vs. Nigeria

Alex Morgan, Lindsey Horan and Megan Rapinoe headline the 23-player roster named by United States manager Vlatko Andonovski on Monday for a pair of friendlies versus Nigeria in September.

The first match will consider spot Sept. 3 at Kid’s Mercy Park in Kansas Metropolis, Kansas, though the second will be held 3 times later at Audi Area in Washington.

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All 23 gamers had been aspect of the squad that gained the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship last month, which clinched berths at each the 2023 FIFA Women’s Globe Cup and the 2024 Olympic Video games in Paris. The only participant who was on that roster but is absent from the squad is wounded Washington Spirit defender Emily Sonnett.

Defender Crystal Dunn, who gave start to her son Marcel on Could 20, will join camp for education as she proceeds her return to conditioning but will not aspect in the matches. Horan, who performs in France for Lyon, is the only participant non-domestic player on the roster, with eight of the 12 teams in the NWSL represented.

“All the gamers on the roster executed perfectly in Mexico at qualifying and have carried that kind for their clubs, so we are going to keep on the course of action of developing as a team with this group in what will be two hard video games from Nigeria,” Andonovski reported.

“Planning for the World Cup is a prolonged approach, and I’ve been quite joyful with how our group understands that process, is willing to do the do the job and is creating optimistic strides each and every camp to get us to where by we want to be subsequent summer season.”

The impending online games will be the initially domestic matches for the crew due to the fact qualifying for the 2023 Environment Cup, which will kick off in significantly less than a year in Australia and New Zealand. Nigeria also competent for the event — its ninth profitable qualification campaign in a row — earning its berth before this summer at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. The Tremendous Falcons are 11-time African champions

The match in Kansas Town also provides the USWNT back to Andonovski’s residence place for the 2nd time considering the fact that he became head mentor at the end of 2019, obtaining most not long ago confronted Korea Republic at Children’s Mercy Park in October 2021. Kansas City, Missouri, was not long ago named as just one of 11 U.S. host towns for the 2026 FIFA Environment Cup.

United States squad:

Goalkeepers: Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Bravery), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Pink Stars).

Defenders: Alana Prepare dinner (OL Reign), Emily Fox (Racing Louisville FC), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Sofia Huerta (OL Reign), Kelley O’Hara (Washington Spirit), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC).

Midfielders: Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC) Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA), Taylor Kornieck (San Diego Wave FC), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign), Kristie Mewis (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit).

Forwards: Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC), Mallory Pugh (Chicago Pink Stars), Midge Purce (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC).