United States women's national team head coach Vlatko Andonovski has named his 24-player training camp roster ahead of November friendlies against Germany. The USWNT will close out its calendar year with a two-game series against the 2022 EURO runners-up beginning on Nov. 10 at DRV PNK Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The teams will then travel to Harrison, New Jersey for a final game at Red Bull Arena on Nov. 13.
Germany will be the third FIFA top 10 ranked team the USWNT will face in a two-month span and it will be the first time the two programs meet since the 2018 SheBelieves Cup. The U.S. is currently on a two-game skid after dropping results to England and Spain in Europe last month. The pair of friendlies will be the first matches since the FIFA 2023 Women's World Cup draw. The USWNT is in Group E alongside the Netherlands, Vietnam, and the winner of the Group A inter-confederation playoff will join in February.
"These are the kinds of games that help our World Cup preparation in many ways and these 180 minutes to end our schedule this year are going to be extremely valuable for the players and coaches," said Andonovski. "It will be good to get some players back on the roster and we're all expecting these games to be very competitive and entertaining for fans."
Forwards Alex Morgan and Mallory Pugh return to the national team after missing the European trip in October. Goalkeeper Adrianna Franch makes her return to the national team for the first time since October 2021. Franch was a finalist for NWSL goalkeeper of the year after a standout season with NWSL Championship runners-up Kansas City Current.
"Being in Kansas City I had a chance to watch her a little more often, live, and especially the second part of the season, it was almost like it was her role to carry the carry Kansas City in tough times. It was almost like her role to get them through to what they were actually were able to achieve, and very happy for her.
I think that she showed once again that the qualities she has, she showed that this was not just one or two games, it was consistent throughout the season. So it was not hard for us after everything for this camp to decide to call her back in. I think this is another opportunity for me to say that -- Yes, the form in the league matters -- and if you're doing well, on a consistent basis, you will be called back regardless of what your status was in the past. We saw this with A.D. Franch now, we saw it with [Morgan] with [Pugh], with other players, so it's the same for everyone."
U.S. Women's National Team Roster
Goalkeepers (3): Adrianna Franch (Kansas City Current), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa
Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
Defenders (7): Alana Cook (OL Reign), Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns FC), Emily Fox (Racing Louisville
FC), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Sofia Huerta (OL Reign), Hailie Mace (Kansas City Current), Becky
Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC)
Midfielders (7): 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 (7): Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC), Mallory Pugh
(Chicago Red Stars), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Sophia Smith (Portland
Thorns FC), Alyssa Thompson (Total Futbol Academy)
World Cup countdown begins now
Now that the World Cup draw has taken place the USWNT can map out the next eight months in preparation for the international tournament. There are only a short amount of windows for the coaching staff to work with players in the build-up to next summer, but coach Andonovski told the media that the national team is currently working to schedule as much time together as possible.
"There's not many matches left. We are currently working on scheduling nine matches until the World Cup, and every game is important, but now we know the opponents. Now that we know what the pathway to winning the world cup is going to be, Now we can dive a little bit deeper into even more and more details. Every match is important. Every training is important. Every meeting is important. And everybody in the environment understands the importance of every second that we spend together."
