U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Jill Ellis has named 19 players for the meeting with Switzerland on Wednesday, Aug. 20, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina. The match, which has been sold out since July 25, will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ussoccer.com.
“With the very short time together, we’re just bringing in these 19 players, but we’re excited about the chance to play a team that has some talented attackers and that will be in the World Cup next summer,” said Ellis. “It’s been tremendous to watch our players compete in the NWSL this season and I’m really excited to get them together for what will be another great test for our team.
The match will mark the first meeting between the sides at the women’s senior level, a rare occurrence for the U.S. team, which has been playing international soccer for 29 years.
Eighteen of the 19 players named to the roster played in the National Women’s Soccer League this season and at least 10 will be heading back to their clubs for semifinal playoff matches the following weekend. Midfielder Morgan Brian, a rising senior at the University of Virginia, is the only non-professional named to the roster.
The roster includes five players who will be returning to the area where they played their college soccer at the University of North Carolina in goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, defenders Meghan Klingenberg and Crystal Dunn and midfielders Allie Long and Heather O’Reilly.
The match will likely mark the first attempt for U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo to break the USA’s all-time shutout record. She is currently tied with former U.S. great Briana Scurry at 71 career shutouts.
Switzerland is one of six nations that have already qualified for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where it will join host Canada. Switzerland has won European Group 3 with one match left to play in qualifying, taking 25 points from nine games with an 8-0-1 record ahead of Iceland and Denmark. The achievement marks the first time Switzerland has qualified for a Women’s World Cup at the senior level.
Additional Notes:
- Jill Ellis will name 18 players among the 19 to suit up for the match.
- Switzerland will be the 25th European country that the USA has faced in its history, although several of those countries no longer exist.
- The game on Aug. 20 will be the sixth time the U.S. Women have played at WakeMed Soccer Park, but the first since the venue was expanded to seat 10,000 fans. It will be the first sell-out.
- The U.S. Women have previously played 11 matches in North Carolina – five in Cary, two in Charlotte, three in Davidson and one in Greensboro.
- The USA comes into the match with a 7-2-3 record in 2014.
- The five U.S. strikers have scored a combined 31 goals in the NWSL this season, although Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach have missed significant parts of the season due to injury and Christen Press will have played less than half the season’s matches after returning from her time in Europe.
- The USA’s five NWSL midfielders have actually outscored the forwards, combining for 35 goals, even though Megan Rapinoe has played just a handful of games for Seattle Reign FC.
- Should Christie Rampone play in the match it would be her 295th cap, meaning she would have a chance to hit 300 during the 2014 CONCACAF Women’s Championship in October.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position GOALKEEPERS (2): Ashlyn Harris (Washington Spirit), Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC) DEFENDERS (6): Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars), Meghan Klingenberg (Houston Dash), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City) MIDFIELDERS (6): Morgan Brian (Virginia), Lauren Holiday (FC Kansas City), Carli Lloyd (WNY Flash), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Heather O’Reilly (Boston Breakers), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC) FORWARDS (5): Sydney Leroux (Seattle Reign FC), Alex Morgan (Portland Thorns), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Amy Rodriguez (FC Kansas City), Abby Wambach (WNY Flash)