U.S. Women's National Team head coach Jill Ellis has named 20 players to the roster for the 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship that will begin at Sporting Park on Oct. 15 and Oct. 16. CONCACAF will officially announce the rosters for all the competing teams today.
"I've said on numerous occasions, I feel this is one of the most competitive rosters to make in our recent history," said Ellis. "The way the players performed during our most recent camp and two games against Mexico certainly made it difficult on the coaching staff. In the end, we feel we came to the best decisions possible and we have depth and versatility at every position. This is a highly motivated group and we're ready for the qualifying tournament."
The 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship features eight countries divided into two groups of four. The two finalists and the winner of the third-place match will qualify directly to the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada. The fourth-place finisher will earn a spot in a two-game playoff against Ecuador, which finished third in South America qualifying, for a final berth to the tournament.
The U.S. Women's National Team opens Group A play at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas, against Trinidad & Tobago on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. CT (FOX Sports 2). Single-day tickets for the 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship at Sporting Park on Oct. 15 and Oct. 16 are available at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers in the Kansas City area. By purchasing single-day tickets, supporters can secure their seat for both games of the Group A doubleheader on Oct. 15 OR both games of the Group B doubleheader on Oct. 16.
2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship matches at Sporting Park
Game 1: Guatemala vs. Haiti on Oct. 15 at 5 p.m. CT (TICKETS)
Game 2: USA vs. Trinidad and Tobago on Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m. CT (TICKETS)
Game 3: Jamaica vs. Martinique on Oct. 16 at 5 p.m. CT (TICKETS)
Game 4: Costa Rica vs. Mexico on Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m. CT(TICKETS)
Eleven players on the United States roster have previous Women's World Cup qualifying experience, led by forward Abby Wambach and midfielder Heather O'Reilly, both of whom played in the qualifying tournaments for the last three Women's World Cup tournaments. Defender Christie Rampone and midfielder Carli Lloyd played in the last two CONCACAF Women's World Cup qualifying tournaments. Other U.S. WNT players with previous qualifying experience are Lauren Holiday, Ali Krieger, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Amy Rodriguez, Becky Sauerbrunn and Hope Solo.
Ellis named a roster that features seven defenders, six midfielders and five forwards, along with two goalkeepers in veteran Solo and Ashlyn Harris, who makes her first CONCACAF qualifying roster at the senior level.
The group of defenders is an excellent mix of young and experienced players. Rampone, the world's active leader in caps at 297, two-time NWSL Defender of the Year Sauerbrunn, Kelley O'Hara and Krieger all have world championship pedigrees. Whitney Engen and Meghan Klingenberg, who are both working toward 20 caps, have tremendous experience in both U.S. and international pro leagues and played in the UEFA Women's Champions League Final last season for their Swedish club, Tyresö. Crystal Dunn had a fine rookie season in the NWSL and was a key player on the USA's 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup championship squad.
The midfield is also vastly experienced with three players sitting on 100 caps or more, led by O'Reilly (208 with 41 goals), Lloyd (175/51) and Holiday (105/23). Tobin Heath (77/9) and Rapinoe (87/27) are also fast approaching the century mark while 21-year-old University of Virginia senior Morgan Brian (13/2) adds a dash of youth to this group as the youngest player on the roster.
The U.S. forwards are a formidable group, having combined for 27 of the USA's 48 goals this year. Four of the five forwards have played in multiple world championships for the USA, and Christen Press, who has scored 13 goals in her first 27 matches, was an alternate on the 2012 Olympic Team. Wambach, who has scored more goals in Women's World Cup qualifying (11) than all but two players in U.S. history (Michelle Akers with 17 and Mia Hamm with 12), heads into the tournament with 170 career goals. Sydney Leroux leads the USA in scoring this year with eight goals while Morgan has scored five in five games in 2014. Rodriguez tallied her second international goal of the year on Sept. 18 against Mexico and was second in the NWSL in scoring with 13 goals while adding three more in the playoffs.
Additional Notes:
- Fourteen of the players on this roster participated in the qualifying tournament for the 2012 Olympics. The six players that did not are: goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, defenders Crystal Dunn, Whitney Engen, Meghan Klingenberg, midfielder Morgan Brian and forward Christen Press.
- The USA is 10-2-3 in 2014.
- The U.S. WNT is 22-1-0 all-time in CONCACAF Women's World Cup qualifying from 1991-2010.
- Thirty-one players have scored for the USA in Women's World Cup qualifying and four of them have hit double-figures: Michelle Akers (17), Mia Hamm (12), Abby Wambach (11) and Carin Gabarra (10).
- Amy Rodriguez scored five goals in six games in her one previous Women's World Cup qualifying tournament in 2010. That includes her game-winning goal in the 1-0 victory against Italy in the second leg of the playoff that helped the USA earn its berth to the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.
- Qualification for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup did not go exactly as planned for the USA as the Americans were upset in the semifinal by Mexico, 2-1, in Cancun. The USA was forced to win the third-place match to earn a right to face Italy in a two-legged playoff for the final berth to the Women's World Cup in Germany and emerged victorious by a 2-0 aggregate score.
- Alyssa Naeher will be training with the team as a third goalkeeper during the duration of the tournament, but will not be a part of the official game roster. Defender Julie Johnston and midfielder Kristie Mewis will train with the U.S. team for a week in Kansas City, but will depart camp before the competition begins.
U.S. Women's National Team roster (by position)
GOALKEEPERS (2): Ashlyn Harris (Washington Spirit), Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC)
DEFENDERS (7): Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Whitney Engen (Houston Dash), Meghan Klingenberg (Houston Dash), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), Kelley O'Hara (Sky Blue FC), Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Morgan Brian (Virginia), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lauren Holiday (FC Kansas City), Carli Lloyd (WNY Flash), Heather O'Reilly (Boston Breakers), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC)
FORWARDS (5): Sydney Leroux (Seattle Reign FC), Alex Morgan (Portland Thorns FC), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Amy Rodriguez (FC Kansas City), Abby Wambach (WNY Flash)
