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Vlatko Andonovski has today announced a 23-player roster for the first USWNT match in over nine months. In a rematch of last summer’s World Cup final, the United States will head across the Atlantic to face the Netherlands on Friday, November 27 (12:30pm Eastern, ESPN2/TUDN).
Washington Spirit duo Aubrey Bledsoe and Ashley Hatch have been included in the squad, while recent call-ups Ashley Sanchez and Andi Sullivan were left out. After last month’s camp in Colorado, which included only US-based players, this USWNT squad includes seven European-based players, bolstering a group that includes 15 NWSL players. The group also includes Stanford Cardinal star Catarina Macario, though her call-up will be strictly to train due to her having not yet completed the FIFA eligibility process.
Bledsoe, the 2019 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, has been called in three times under both Andonovski and Jill Ellis, but has yet to receive her first international cap. According to Andonovski, Bledsoe is one of six goalkeepers that he’s seriously considering at this point:
.@itsmeglinehan asks about process choosing GKs: Vlatko says they have "about 6" GKs they're focused on/working with, says Ashlyn is not out of the picture by any means, this camp was great opp for Bledsoe/Campbelle to get internat'l trip and evaluation, shouts out Franch, Murphy
— Steph Yang | Horrible Soccer Goose (@thrace) November 17, 2020
Hatch, meanwhile, has made two prior appearances, and appears to have impressed Andonovski, who has now called her into three different USWNT camps in a one-year span. Since joining the Spirit, she has lead the team in goalscoring in both 2018 and 2019. Within this USWNT squad, her competition for the no. 9 job includes Alex Morgan, who is back after giving birth earlier this year, as well as Lynn Williams and possibly Christen Press and Sophia Smith (all of whom can also play wide).
The full USWNT squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers (3): Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars), Aubrey Bledsoe (Washington Spirit), Jane Campbell (Houston Dash)
Defenders (8): Kelley O’Hara (Utah Royals FC), Abby Dahlkemper (North Carolina Courage), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC), Crystal Dunn (NC Courage), Midge Purce (Sky Blue FC), Emily Sonnett (Orlando Pride), Alana Cook (Paris Saint-Germain), Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars)
Midfielders (6): Samantha Mewis (Manchester City), Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars), Rose Lavelle (Manchester City), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns), Catarina Macario (Stanford Cardinal), Kristie Mewis (Houston Dash)
Forwards (6): Lynn Williams (NC Courage), Alex Morgan (Tottenham Hotspur), Christen Press (Manchester United), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns), Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit), Tobin Heath (Manchester United)