Tag: Christen Press

Christen Press was not on the USWNT roster even before her injury

The veteran forward has not been with the USWNT since last summer’s Olympics

Vlatko Andonovski has confirmed that even prior to her recent injury, Christen Press did not make the U.S. women’s national team roster for the upcoming CONCACAF W Championship.

Press was was forced out of Angel City FC’s game Saturday night against Racing Louisville, limping off the field with an apparent knee injury.

Though it seemed possible that Press’s exclusion was due to her injury, particularly with fellow veterans Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe returning to the squad, Andonovski made it clear that was not the case.

“I have to say that Christen Press was not on the roster even before the injury,” Andonovski told reporters on Monday. “We’re very sorry for her injury and don’t have confirmed information on the extent or the significance of the injury, we just hope that it is not too serious.”

Press has not been with the USWNT since last summer’s Olympics, after which she took time away from the game to focus on her mental health.

Though Andonovski believes Press is doing well with Angel City, he cited the increased forward competition with the USWNT as the reason for her exclusion.

“I think that she’s performing well but it’s not just her now at this point, it’s her competing with the players that are in front of her,” Andonovski said.

“For Christen to be back on the field it’s not just to perform well in her club environment, it’s also outperform the players that she’s competing against. And that would be players like Mallory Pugh and Sophia Smith, Alex Morgan, Ashley Hatch and Trinity Rodman. It’s not easy to be a forward in the United States right now. Obviously it’s great but it’s not easy because the competition just got bigger and bigger.”

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Christen Press leaves Angel City FC game with knee injury

The prognosis is unclear after Press appeared to twist her knee

Christen Press was forced out of Angel City FC’s game Saturday night against Racing Louisville with an apparent knee injury.

Press twisted her knee and, after receiving some treatment on the field, was helped off the field by a team trainer and teammate Megan Reid. Angel City ended up substituting her shortly thereafter, bringing in Clarisse Le Bihan in the 66th minute.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Angel City head coach Freya Coombe said the prognosis was uncertain. “I haven’t had that update,” said Coombe. “I need to go in with (our medical team) and see how she’s doing.”

Midfielder Savannah McCaskill added that as a team, Angel City are “hoping and praying that she’s going to be okay, and (the injury) is nothing major.”

The injury comes at a crucial moment for both Press and the U.S. women’s national team. Press was named to the USWNT’s preliminary roster for the CONCACAF W Championship earlier this week, and Vlatko Andonovski is poised to announce the roster for this month’s national team camp, which leads right into the tournament.

The W Championship, which serves as qualifying for both the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics, runs from July 4-18 in Mexico.

Press’ contract with Manchester United ended in June 2021, and after Louisville traded her NWSL rights to Angel City two months later, she was effectively without a club to play for until Angel City’s expansion season began this year.

Press didn’t receive call-ups for the USWNT during that spell, but as a regular 90-minute player with Angel City this year, she figured to be back in the picture for Andonovski, and has been consistently at the heart of most of the LA-based club’s goals in NWSL. In Saturday’s 3-2 win over Louisville, Press scored one before setting up another for McCaskill, who would go on to net the game-winner with a stoppage-time penalty kick.

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