Twenty-three player USWNT roster set for April friendlies against Uzbekistan

CHICAGO – U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Vlatko Andonovski has named a 23-player roster for two April friendly matches against Uzbekistan. Twenty-one of those players are currently playing in the National Women’s Soccer with two based in Europe.

In the first-ever matches between the USA and Uzbekistan, the teams will meet on Saturday, April 9 at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio (5:30 p.m. ET on FOX and Univision Networks) and then again on Tuesday, April 12 at Subaru Park in Chester, Pa. (7 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and Univision Networks).

Andonovski will select 18 players to suit up for each of the two matches. Seventeen of the 23 players on this roster helped the USA win the 2022 SheBelieves Cup in February.

“We have four games left before World Cup and Olympic qualifying and it’s up to the players and staff to maximize every minute we get together on the field and in the meeting room,” said Andonovski. “We have quite a few injuries in our player pool that we are dealing with, but that also means more opportunities for other players and the chance to continue to deepen our roster as we continue to work to find the best combination of players to take to Mexico in July.”

U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM APRIL FRIENDLIES ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; CAPS/GOALS): 

GOALKEEPERS (3): Bella Bixby (Portland Thorns FC; 0), Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit; 0), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 79)

DEFENDERS (7): Alana Cook (OL Reign; 7/0), Abby Dahlkemper (San Diego Wave FC; 77/0), Imani Dorsey (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 1/0), Emily Fox (Racing Louisville FC; 11/0), Sofia Huerta (OL Reign; 10/0), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC; 0/0), Kelley O’Hara (Washington Spirit; 150/2) 

MIDFIELDERS (8): Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyonnais, FRA; 108/25), Jaelin Howell (Racing Louisville FC; 4/0), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign; 69/18), Catarina Macario (Olympique Lyonnais, FRA; 15/5), Kristie Mewis (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 36/5), Samantha Mewis (Kansas City Current; 83/24), Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit; 5/0), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit; 25/2)

FORWARDS (5): Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit; 6/3), Mallory Pugh (Chicago Red Stars; 70/21), Margaret Purce (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 12/2), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit; 2/0), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC; 13/1)

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• The roster features just two players with 100 or more caps – defender Kelley O’Hara and midfielder Lindsey Horan – while another five players have 69 or more caps.

• Conversely, the roster features 14 players with 15 caps or fewer including nine in single digits.

• There are no first-time call-ups on the roster, but three players will be looking for their first caps: goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury (formerly Bledsoe), goalkeeper Bella Bixby and defender Naomi Girma, the #1 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft by San Diego Wave FC.

• Midfielder Lindsey Horan is the leading scorer on the roster with 25 international goals, followed by midfielder Samantha Mewis (24), forward Mallory Pugh (21) and midfielder Rose Lavelle (18).

• Forward Ashley Hatch has scored three times in her six caps while midfielder/forward Catarina Macario has five goals in her 15 caps.

• There are five players on the roster who were born after the historic 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

• Uzbekistan, which gained its independence and became a country in 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, will be the 55th different country the USA has played as women’s soccer continues to grow around the globe.

• Uzbekistan is ranked 48th in the world and 10th in Asia. Uzbekistan played in the Turkish Women’s Cup during the February FIFA window, defeating Lithuania 1-0, falling to Ukraine 2-0 and drawing with Venezuela, 0-0.

• The USWNT has played nine matches all-time in Columbus, Ohio, but all were at MAPFRE Stadium, the historic former home of the Columbus Crew. This will be the USA’s first visit to the Crew’s new state-of-the-art downtown venue which recently hosted a World Cup qualifier for the U.S. Men’s National Team on Jan. 27.

• This will be the USA’s eighth visit to Subaru Park, home of the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer. The USWNT’s last match in Chester, Pa. came during the 2019 SheBelieves Cup.