Alex Morgan not on USWNT roster produced for Europe friendlies

When U.S. Soccer introduced in August that the women’s countrywide team would be participating in England in a fall friendly, the federation hyped the recreation by tweeting a photo of ahead Alex Morgan’s tea-sipping goal celebration from the 2019 Environment Cup semifinals.

But on Thursday, when mentor Vlatko Andonovski unveiled his 24-player roster for the Oct. 7 match at London’s Wembley Stadium, Morgan’s identify wasn’t on it. The countrywide team’s foremost active scorer was ruled out since of a knee personal injury, which will arrive as a disappointment to English supporters, who sold out the activity in less than a working day.

“With Alex, I can not go into information how significant it is. It is a knee damage,” Andonovski said of Morgan, who sat out very last week’s activity with her NWSL club, the San Diego Wave. “What I can say is if this was a Environment Cup final, Alex was going to be on this journey and she was heading to perform in this activity, no question.”

Attendance for the sport, the 1st in between the major-ranked U.S. and No. 5 England at Wembley, is envisioned to top rated 80,000, producing it the 2nd-largest crowd to enjoy the women’s countrywide group following the 90,185 that attended the 1999 Environment Cup closing at the Rose Bowl. A history group of 87,192 packed Wembley in July for England’s European Championship gain about Germany.

The U.S. vacation to Europe also will include a match with No. 6 Spain in Pamplona on Oct. 11.

“I want to say the final results [are] secondary in this predicament. But it by no means is when you mentor this team,” Andonovski said. “We’re seeking at it as an opportunity to participate in towards some of the world’s best teams. We’ve generally explained that we want to build adverse environments for our players. We want them to determine out a way to overcome it.

“And what far better way to do it than playing in front of a full stadium, away, towards English and Spain.”

Morgan’s absence opened a location on the roster for Harvard-Westlake senior Alyssa Thompson, who had a objective and aid in the U-20 World Cup in August. The phone-up is Thompson’s initially with the senior staff. At 17, she is the youngest player to be identified as up due to the fact 2017.

“Alyssa is a incredibly innovative player with a quite fantastic comprehending of the video game,” Andonovski said. “I have no question that she will fit in very well in our process. I believe it’s a good working experience, good exposure for her. And it is a good encounter for us to have an option to operate with her. What happens from there, we’ll see.”

Harvard-Westlake’s soccer star Alyssa Thompson will replace Alex Morgan on the USWNT roster.

(Eric Sondheimer / VFAB)

The two European friendlies will be the final games before the draw for subsequent summer’s Environment Cup in New Zealand and Australia.

Eighteen of the 24 ladies on the roster played in the team’s friendlies in September, which include two-time Earth Cup champions Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn. Amid the additions is defender Crystal Dunn, who is hoping to make her very first visual appearance because supplying start to a son in mid-Might. She participated in the September training camp but did not engage in in opposition to Nigeria.

“We’re psyched about Crystal getting back. We had her as a coaching participant for the final games and she looked as sharp as ever,” stated Andonovski, who who is 41-2-6 with the nationwide team.

The Roster:

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

Defenders: Alana Prepare dinner (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 Metropolis Existing), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC).

Midfielders: Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Savannah DeMelo (Racing Louisville FC), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon), 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), Mallory Pugh (Chicago Crimson Stars), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Alyssa Thompson (Overall Futbol Academy).