NWSL scoring champion Alex Morgan tops a roster of 24 women’s national teams that convened on Thursday for a rare January training camp in New Zealand, where the United States will start World Cup games in July. increase.
The team will train for six days in Wellington on 18 January before playing New Zealand in Auckland two days later.
“We have been thinking and planning for the World Cup for a long time. But when the calendar turns to the World Cup year, it certainly brings a new focus and energy as the tournament starts in less than 200 days.” “Bringing the team to New Zealand in January to play at the World Cup venues has many advantages, so we will make the most of our time together and make this trip as productive and unique as possible. players have never been to New Zealand before.”
The roster features four players with over 100 caps: defenders Becky Sauerbrunn (211), Morgan (200), Crystal Dunne (126) and Lindsay Horan (122), along with Hayley Mace (8), Includes 14 players under 25 caps, including Taylor. Cornick (7) and Sam Coffey (4). Last season, San Diego topped his NWSL with 16 goals in his wave, and Morgan is his team’s leading active scorer at the National with 119 goals.
Defender Emily Sonnett and forward Lynn Williams have recovered from injuries and returned to the roster, while NWSL MVP Sophia Smith (foot) and former World Player of the Year Megan Rapinoe (ankle). is absent.
This summer’s tournament will be the first Women’s World Cup to be held in the Southern Hemisphere. It will take place from 20 July to 20 August at 10 stadiums in his 9 host cities: 5 in Australia and 4 in New Zealand.
The two-time defending champions, the United States, were placed in Group E alongside playoff winners Vietnam, Netherlands, Cameroon, Thailand and Portugal.
Roster:
Goalkeeper: Adriana Franchi (Kansas City Currents), Casey Murphy (North Carolina College), Alyssa Nahar (Chicago Red Stars)
Defender: Alana Cook (OL Reigns), Emily Fox (Racing Louisville FC), Crystal Dunne (Portland Thorns FC), Naomi Gilma (San Diego Wave FC), Sofia Huerta (OL Reigns), Hayley Mace (Kansas City Currents), Becky Sauerbrand (Portland Thorns FC), Emily Sonnett (Washington Spirit)
Midfielder: Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsay Horan (Olympique Lyonnais), Taylor Cornick (San Diego Wave FC), Rose Lovell (OL Reign), Christy Mewis (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit), Andy Sullivan (Washington Spirit)
forward: Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC), Midge Peirce (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars), Lynn Williams (Kansas City Currents)
This story was originally published in the Los Angeles Times.