Tag: Vlatko Andonovski

USWNT gives minutes to veterans, Thompson as World Cup roster deadline looms

It’s crunch time for the USWNT coaching staff

With the games out of the way, it’s officially decision time for the U.S. women’s national team.

Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Ireland marked the USWNT’s final friendly before the team announces its 23-player roster for the 2023 World Cup, with the team’s next match — a July 9 clash with Wales in San Jose — coming after their tournament squad has been announced.

Head coach Vlatko Andonovski said before and after Tuesday’s game that this second match against Ireland had been earmarked as a chance for several players to bolster their resumes.

“It wasn’t about the team concept [tonight]. It wasn’t about us as a team. It was more about the individual players and obviously getting minutes to certain players,” Andonovski told reporters following a gritty win settled by Alana Cook’s long-range delivery into the box gliding all the way into the goal just before halftime.

“The things that were missing is not something that worries me. Like I said, it was missing cohesion,” said Andonovski after deploying a significantly less familiar starting eleven than the starter-heavy group that won 2-0 in Austin on Saturday. “It was missing understanding between the players, and we’re not surprised by that, because we knew the miscommunication will happen, or missed pass[es] happen, or a player makes a run and doesn’t get the ball, or makes a run to the left and gets the ball to the right. It’s something that we expect to happen, and it did make the game go a little bit wild at times, because we gave up the ball too quick after we won it.”

Andonovski said that if he had to, he could pick his list of 23 players for the World Cup right now, but added that there’s still time for players to use their club play to change the equation.

That said, spots are apparently extremely limited.

“I feel pretty comfortable [with] where we’re at as a team, and from the decision-making standpoint, there’s a group of players that we’re very comfortable with,” said Andonovski. “We can make [a] decision tonight, but also there’s a group of players that we’re comfortable where they’re at, but they’re still gonna have to fight, and not necessarily fight for [one] spot. It’s now a ‘game on.’ We have about maybe 10-to-12 players that are fighting for six, seven spots.”

Returning vets, plus Thompson’s moment

In St. Louis, Andonovski’s selection included Cook, Casey Murphy, Sofia Huerta, Kelley O’Hara, and Alyssa Thompson from the start. A planned substitution saw Tierna Davidson replace Becky Sauerbrunn in the 29th minute, while Casey Krueger split the 90 minutes with O’Hara evenly at left back.

“We wanted to see the players that haven’t been in the environment for a long time. It’s not just we wanted to see them, but we also wanted to give them minutes so, if and when some of them make the World Cup, their first minutes [back] are not in the World Cup, but they have a chance to compete before they go there,” reasoned Andonovski before naming Tierna Davidson, Casey Kruger, Julie Ertz, and O’Hara as players that specifically applied to.

“There are several players that that we wanted to evaluate, but also we wanted to give them minutes to get some of that rust off,” said the fourth-year USWNT manager. “That’s why it was hard to evaluate the team and team performance in a setting like that, when there are a lot of changes, players that haven’t played together in over a year, year and a half, and players that haven’t even played at all in a year and a half.”

On the other hand, Thompson was a late addition to the squad after Mallory Swanson’s knee injury, and was making just her second international appearance. For Andonovski, there was an element of fairness at play, as the other candidates for the wide attacking roles in the USWNT pool have all had at least one start to work with in recent times.

“We wanted to explore every possible option before we make the final decision and one of those was Alyssa Thompson,” Andonovski said of sorting out his front line after losing an undisputed key part of it. “Before [Swanson’s injury], our forwards have had a chance to start in different games, from Trinity [Rodman] to Lynn [Williams], Midge [Purce], [Megan Rapinone], every wide forward had an opportunity to start a game. We felt like we needed to see Alyssa start a game and give her a chance to showcase her abilities as well.”

[lawrence-related id=17301,17300,17267]

Swanson undergoes knee surgery, offers no USWNT return timeline

Swanson spoke for herself after successful surgery

Mallory Swanson on Tuesday confirmed that she had undergone knee surgery.

The U.S. women’s national team star was diagnosed with a torn patellar tendon after a collision with Ireland defender Aoife Mannion eventually saw her stretchered off in Saturday’s 2-0 win.

Neither Swanson nor U.S. Soccer has provided a recovery timeline just yet. Patellar tendon tears tend to come with a roughly six-month rehab course, which would rule Swanson out of the 2023 World Cup.

In a post on her Instagram account, Swanson gave the latest update on her condition.

“This is hard. I’m in shock and don’t have much to say other than, thank you to everyone for the messages,” wrote Swanson. “I feel the love and prayers, and holding them close to my heart.

“Surgery this morning was a success. I’m thankful for my trainers, doctors, coaches, and teammates for their help throughout this process. The beauty out of all of this, is that God is always good. He’s got me and always has.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq6C4XHu57I/?hl=en

A successful surgical procedure was the best news Swanson, the USWNT, and the Chicago Red Stars could have hoped for given the difficult circumstances.

However, as USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski told reporters on Monday, there is no direct way to replace a player who had stepped on the pitch at Austin’s Q2 Stadium as the team’s most in-form goalscorer. Swanson scored at least one goal in each of the previous six USWNT matches, a spell which included a match-winner against Germany and braces against both New Zealand and Canada.

[lawrence-related id=17176,17156,17104]

Vlatko Andonovski: You don’t replace Mallory Swanson

The USWNT forward has scored seven goals in six national team games in 2023

The U.S. women’s national team is renowned for its depth, particularly at the attacking positions. Still, Vlatko Andonovski knows that replacing a player like Mallory Swanson will be impossible.

Swanson suffered a torn patella tendon in Saturday’s friendly win against Ireland, all but ruling her out for the World Cup.

The USWNT has a plethora of options to take Swanson’s starting spot, including Trinity Rodman, Lynn Williams, Megan Rapinoe and the recently called-up Alyssa Thompson.

That quartet can all impact a game in various ways, but USWNT boss Andonovski admitted on Monday that losing Swanson still hurts.

“It is a challenge,” Andonovski said at a press conference ahead of Tuesday’s rematch with Ireland in St. Louis.

“I can sit here and say, ‘Oh no we’re great’ – no, she’s a great player. You don’t replace Mallory that easily. We all know that.

“We can’t go around it. We just have to face it straight up, and we’re ready for it. In some ways, we were preparing certain players for moments like this. And we think that we will have a good answer.”

Andonovski declined to answer whether Swanson has any chance of making a miracle return for the World Cup, only saying that she “has things planned right away in terms of the timeline of how everything is going to play out for her from the rehab and medical side.”

The coach added that Swanson was mentally “doing better than I thought” and that the Red Stars forward was ready to be the USWNT’s biggest fan during her absence.

“She said that all she wants is for the team to be successful,” he said. “She is going to be our biggest supporter, so [she has a] very good mindset, very good mentality.”

(Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

Thompson is ‘borderline arrogant’

One of the intriguing options to replace Swanson is Thompson, an 18-year-old rookie with Angel City FC who already has USWNT experience.

“Now we added Alyssa Thompson, who we believe has the ability to play against teams like Ireland who are in a low block, who has the ability to break down compact defenses, and that’s why she’s in the environment,” Andonovski said.

On Thompson, he added: “She’s an exciting player. She has the ability to turn in small areas that not many players have, and not just turn but she accelerates with the ball and runs at defenses with confidence.

“I almost want to say sometimes for an 18-year-old it’s borderline arrogant when she goes at you, but she can eliminate players on the dribble and we’ve of course seen some good goals as well.”

Andonovski added that Thompson would see the field against Ireland on Tuesday, saying the only question is for how long.

[lawrence-related id=17156,17120,17102]

Julie Ertz says USWNT return ‘almost like a movie’

Vlatko Andonovski said Ertz “played with a smile on her face”

611 days after her last appearance, Julie Ertz is officially back in the mix for the U.S women’s national team.

Ertz made her return to the USWNT in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Ireland, entering as a 67th minute substitute. That ended a gap between games extending back to August 5, 2021, when she played in their bronze medal win over Australia at the Tokyo Olympics.

Since then, Ertz has become a mother, and for a spell seemed less than likely to actually return to the sport. She has been without a professional club for nearly a year and a half, and as recently as February, USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski said the team didn’t expect to have her back in the fold in time for the World Cup.

Speaking to TNT’s post-game show, Ertz called her return “surreal,” adding that “it’s almost like a movie for me, just all these things coming together.”

Ertz told reporters earlier this week that her love of competition was the driving factor behind her return, and brought that factor up after the match. “It felt good to get the competitive juices going, and I’m just grateful,” said Ertz.

Andonovski, speaking to reporters after the match, said “I was happy for [Ertz], because she was happy. She played with a smile on her face,” adding that the coaching staff was offering extra help from the touchline.

“We were trying to direct her a little bit. She was getting a little bit off-script,” said Andonovski, adding that he felt that was “understandable” given how long she had been away from top-level soccer.

Asked for his analysis of her performance, Andonovski said the coaching staff is “happy where she’s at. We could see some really good stuff. We could see the true ‘JJ’ on the field, but also there were moments where I thought that she was rushing the pass and made a few mistakes… It’s understandable, without being in a game environment. So that’s why when we first announced [her return], we said that we’re going to be patient with her and give her just a little bit of time to incorporate herself back in the game.”

“I know time is of the essence,” said Ertz, who on top of playing herself back into roster contention has to settle negotiations with a club team (something Andonovski said was a requirement when she was called back up).

However, she said the quick one-two of friendlies in this window — the USWNT plays Ireland again on Tuesday in St. Louis — will help her shake off any rust by mimicking something she’s very familiar with. “This is just like how a World Cup is,” said Ertz. “It’s on to the next, it’s preparing, it’s watching film.”

In other words, Ertz is already back to business.

[lawrence-related id=17102,17047,16795]

Macario needs ‘competitive games’ to ensure USWNT return, per Andonovski

The clock is ticking for Macario and the USWNT

Catarina Macario’s U.S. women’s national team return is down to one last step, but it’s a big step indeed.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the USWNT’s first of two friendlies against the Republic of Ireland, head coach Vlatko Andonovski said it comes down to whether her recovery from a torn ACL last year is far enough along that she can play in games.

“First, we need to see performance,” said Andonovski when asked about whether her missing this last pre-World Cup camp could cost her a place on his roster this summer. “We have to see her on the field… Cat has to get back in a professional environment, play professional games, competitive games, games that matter.”

Macario suffered her injury last June during Lyon’s final Division 1 Féminine match of the 2021-22 season, and has not played since. Back in early February, Andonovski said that she was on track to play for Lyon sometime in March. That timeline included expectations that she would be available for this USWNT camp.

However, as of their most recent game (a 7-0 win over Le Havre this past Sunday), Macario hasn’t yet returned for Lyon, even as an unused substitute.

Departure from past tournaments

For Andonovski, there seems to be a clear line at this point: players that go to the World Cup need to be able to play high-level minutes before they step onto the plane.

“We all know that Cat has the potential to be one of the best players in the world. We could all see that a year ago, but we don’t know good she is right now. Nobody does,” explained Andonovski. “Until we get a chance to evaluate that, we can’t make any decisions about her. If she proves that she can be in this environment, and we believe she can help us win a World Cup, then she can [be considered].”

That stands in contrast to how Andonovski handled the Olympics in 2021, with Julie Ertz arriving in Tokyo while still in the recovery phase from a sprained MCL. Ertz was initially left out of their shock opening loss to Sweden, but came on at halftime and then played the remaining minutes as the USWNT went on to claim a bronze medal.

However, she hasn’t played since, and while the bulk of that time away was due to her pregnancy, she was also unable to return to the Chicago Red Stars in the more immediate aftermath of the Olympics.

Andonovski has, over recent months, noted a willingness to possibly bring one player whose recovery timeline overlaps the very start of the World Cup. It’s just that there’s a big difference between someone overcoming, say, the three- or four-week rehab process for an ankle sprain when compared to Macario’s recovery from a far more serious and long-term injury.

The Ertz situation is therefore not a direct comparison, as her MCL sprain was suffered roughly two months before the Olympics began. That’s hardly ideal, but a player out for a few weeks will be closer to USWNT-ready than one who has been out for much longer.

Macario has five more chances to meet Andonovski’s requirement and play in competitive matches before the World Cup roster is finalized. Lyon has four more D1F matches left to play:

  • April 16 – vs. Paris FC
  • May 6 – at Dijon FCO
  • May 20 – at Paris Saint-Germain
  • May 27 – vs. Stade de Reims

They also play PSG in the Coupe de France final on May 13. However, Macario’s path to more minutes may be complicated by the needs of the team. Chelsea knocked Lyon out of the Champions League in an unreal spectacle, which means the team has at least two fewer games to navigate.

Manager Sonia Bompastor would have likely opted for at least some rotation, but now she has at least one week between every single remaining match for players to recover. On top of that, Lyon leads D1F by just one point over PSG, meaning Bompastor will have less freedom to dole minutes out to players who may not be at their very best.

[lawrence-related id=13543,9056,2910]

USWNT boss Andonovski explains Ertz’s recall after 18 months away

Per Andonovski, Ertz won’t be a free agent for much longer

The latest U.S. women’s national team roster is out, and Julie Ertz’s return set the agenda to such an extent that head coach Vlatko Andonovski couldn’t help but crack a joke.

“So basically, you want to know everything about Julie?” asked Andonovski, starting a Tuesday media session off with the first of numerous Ertz-related questions.

“We’re excited to have Julie back. We know the quality of the player that she’s [been], and that if she comes anywhere near her best, that she will certainly help us win a World Cup,” said Andonovski on the recall. “We’re gonna see Julie in camp and then we’ll see how many minutes she’s gonna get. We certainly will see her on the field.”

The USWNT faces the Republic of Ireland in upcoming friendlies in Austin (April 8) and St. Louis (April 11). Should Ertz play in the first match, it would mark her first competitive action for the USWNT or a professional club in 612 days.

“It’s very exciting to be back with the team again and I’m grateful to have this opportunity,” said Ertz in a statement U.S. Soccer provided to Pro Soccer Wire. “I have to work out details in regards to my club situation, but I am very thankful to Zach, my family, and U.S. Soccer for the amazing support they have provided to get me back to this point. I’ve been training hard, excited to see where I’m at physically and getting better each day. I am going into this camp the same way I always have, to compete with the best women in the world.”

Andonovski said he and U.S. Soccer have been “in constant communication” with Ertz, with the goal being to set her up so that she could give her very best shot at returning to a USWNT that hasn’t seen her since August 5, 2021. Per Andonovski, Ertz has been working her way back out of the public eye.

“In the last couple of months, Julie was training very hard,” said Andonovski. “I had a chance to see some of the training firsthand. She was training with MLS academy boys. She trained with a personal high performance coach, with a personal technical coach, and was up to the level that a lot of professional players were training…sometimes even harder.”

The USWNT collective bargaining agreement (CBA) includes a clause that protects players from being permanently dropped due to a pregnancy, with language mandating at least two camp invites after a) the player is determined by the USWNT coach and general manager to be physically ready to return, or b) if they train with a professional team for at least two months.

Andonovski said that while the recalls for Ertz and Chicago defender Casey Krueger — who both gave birth last summer — are for soccer reasons, he is of the belief that their returns comply with the CBA as well.

“Once [Ertz] got cleared from from her physician, our medical staff was able to clear her, and we established that she’s ready to join us in camp, and that’s why she got the invite,” explained Andonovski.

Still, despite the obvious excitement in the fanbase at seeing the unexpected return of a key player going into the World Cup, Andonovski emphasized that all he’s offering is an opportunity.

“Nothing is going to be given,” said Andonovski. “I also have to say, we’ve been very pleased with Andi Sullivan and her progression, so Julie coming in doesn’t mean that everyone moves on the side and Julie gets into that spot. I said earlier, she needs to come in, she needs to prove herself… It will be a battle, but that’s what this team is all about. It’s about competition, a constant competition, day in and day out.”

Vlatko: Ertz will sign with a club shortly

One aspect of Ertz’s return is that she’s currently a free agent, and has been for over a year.

After playing in every national team game throughout the early months of 2021, Ertz sprained her MCL in the Chicago Red Stars’ regular season opener. It was a surprise that she made it back in time for the Olympics, and while the plan heading into the tournament seemed to be a steady progression back through the final steps of her recovery, a nightmare opening half against Sweden seemed to change the equation. Ertz came on at halftime, and played every second of the tournament from that point on, a total of 525 minutes in 15 days.

Ertz didn’t return to play with the Red Stars following the tournament, a period of time that contained league-wide turmoil pertaining to abusive conduct by numerous coaches and front office employees. The revelations eventually reached Chicago, with the Washington Post reporting extensive allegations of abusive conduct against Rory Dames. Ertz’s NWSL rights were traded to Angel City FC before the 2022 NWSL expansion draft, but as she was out of contract, she has never been on the LA-based club’s roster.

Ertz announced her pregnancy on April 4, 2022, and up until now has not signed with any club. Angel City still holds Ertz’s NWSL rights, and have at least two open roster spots, making them the frontrunner to welcome the 30-year-old back into professional club soccer.

Andonovski says to expect the issue to be settled in the very near future.

“She needed to join a professional team to get consistent games to give us a chance to furthermore evaluate her before the World Cup. She will do that,” said Andonovski. “As we speak, I believe, she’s in negotiation with a team and or teams, and pretty soon I’m sure we’ll have news on that front as well.”

[lawrence-related id=16323,16265]

Andonovski expects Thompson to make a case for USWNT World Cup spot

The USWNT boss won’t rule out a late charge from the talented teenager

U.S. women’s national team head coach Vlatko Andonovski is not ready to rule out the possibility of bringing Alyssa Thompson to the World Cup.

The 18-year-old is off to a flying start to her pro career, scoring a fantastic goal for Angel City FC in her first pro game after also netting a tremendous solo effort in preseason.

Thompson made her USWNT debut last fall at age 17 in a friendly against England at Wembley, but has not been called up this year and again missed the cut for the USWNT’s roster on Tuesday.

That would appear to leave Thompson on the outside looking in for a World Cup berth, especially in a crowded group of attacking players. But speaking to reporters after naming his roster on Tuesday, Andonovski said he’s expecting the teenager to still push for a spot in Australia and New Zealand.

“If there’s a coach that believes in Alyssa Thompson, it would probably be me,” Andonovski said. “Not long ago when she was 17 years old, her first cap was against one of the best teams in the world in front of 80,000 people, and that was a decision that I made. So that speaks of how much I value Alyssa and how much I believe in her.

“I think that she has a lot of potential and I do believe that she will make a case for a [World Cup] roster spot. Part of the reason why she was in those [fall] camps was that if it happens that she has a good season and earns a roster spot for the World Cup, that it’s not her first camp. She already has experience being in the environment, understands the dynamics in the environment. She has already played in big matches against good opponents, so the transition is not as hard for her.”

Andonovski did sound a note of caution over a player who is only one game into her professional career.

“I do want to point out one thing about Alyssa,” he added. “At this point the most important thing is that she enjoys the game, that she enjoys her club environment because we don’t want to put too much pressure on her. She’s a young player, a talented player, a good player and all she needs to do is just to enjoy the game.”

[lawrence-related id=16231,15332,7826]

Julie Ertz returns to USWNT after nearly two-year absence

The 30-year-old midfielder has been called in for the first time since the Olympics

Vlatko Andonovski has named a 26-player roster for the U.S. women’s national team’s two upcoming friendlies against Ireland, and there was one name on the list that stood out above all others: Julie Ertz.

Last month, Andonovski admitted that the USWNT would “probably not” be able to count on Ertz for the upcoming World Cup amid an extended absence from the game.

Ertz has not played for the USWNT since the Olympics in 2021 and has not played club soccer since 2021 either, having given birth to her son in August 2022.

But with just over three months left until the World Cup kicks off, Ertz — currently without a club but expected to land with a NWSL team soon — has been brought back into the fold.

In addition to Ertz, fullback Casey Krueger has also been handed a recall for the first time since October 2021. The Chicago Red Stars defender gave birth to her first child in July 2022.

Megan Rapinoe, however, will miss out with what U.S. Soccer is calling a “lower leg injury.”

“It’s exciting to get the group back together and we’re getting closer to how we want to look this summer,” said Andonovski. “The team is gelling and getting these players back in camp, all who know the environment very well, is just going to make it more competitive and turn the intensity up a notch.

“I know there is a lot of pressure on the players as the competition for World Cup spots increases, but that’s not something we shy away from. We talk about it, and we embrace it, as we all know these players make each other better.”

The USWNT will face Ireland on April 8 at Q2 Stadium in Austin (2:30 p.m. ET on TNT, Universo and Peacock) before playing again on April 11 at brand-new Citypark in St. Louis (7:30 p.m. ET on HBO Max, Universo and Peacock).

The two games will be the last matches the USWNT plays before Andonovski names his World Cup roster.

USWNT roster (club; caps/goals)

Goalkeepers (3): Adrianna Franch (Kansas City Current; 10), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage; 13), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 89)

Defenders (10): Alana Cook (OL Reign; 23/0), Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars; 48/1), Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage; 27/0), Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns FC; 130/24), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC; 14/0), Sofia Huerta (OL Reign; 28/0), Casey Krueger (Chicago Red Stars; 37/0), Kelley O’Hara (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 156/3), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC; 214/0), Emily Sonnett (OL Reign; 73/1)

Midfielders (7): Julie Ertz (Unattached; 116/20), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA; 126/26), Taylor Kornieck (San Diego Wave FC; 12/2), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign; 87/24), Kristie Mewis (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 50/7), Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit; 22/3), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit; 42/3)

Forwards (6): Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit; 17/5), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC; 204/121), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit; 15/2), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC; 27/12), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars; 87/32), Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 52/15)

[lawrence-related id=16076,14664,16231]

Press confirms third knee surgery as World Cup doubts grow

The Angel City star has suffered setbacks in her return from a torn ACL

Christen Press’ path to another World Cup is more difficult than anyone imagined.

The star U.S. women’s national team forward tore her ACL back in June 2022 during an NWSL match with Angel City FC, and has yet to return to full training. With the injury timeline for a torn ACL generally running between six months and a full year, many fans and observers were hopeful that the veteran goalscorer would be in action sooner rather than later.

Press posted an update to her Instagram account Wednesday, with photos of herself off and on crutches, and in one case a photo as she prepared to undergo surgery. Nine months is often a common time for players to return to training, but it doesn’t sound like that’s in the cards for Press at the moment.

“1 knee. 8 months. 3 surgeries,” read Press’ caption for the post. “My unique journey. Relentless optimism + enduring hope. Little wins. Letting go.”

It is not exactly news that Press might be on a longer return-to-play timeline than normal. Back in October 2022, USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski said the forward had “a slight setback” that would put her recovery timeline slightly behind that of Catarina Macario, whose own torn ACL happened 10 days before Press.

At that time, Andonovski said Macario could be doing at least some training by the end of February, a timeline that was shortened by a couple of weeks when the USWNT manager gave another update on February 1.

However, that doesn’t appear to be the case with Press. With the World Cup roster selection looming — the Washington Post reported on Tuesday that NWSL players will report to USWNT camp after the league’s slate of matches from June 23-25 — the timeline for Press to be in the conversation for a roster spot appears to be very short indeed.

Press also vital for Angel City

Angel City, meanwhile, will face a double-edged sword: a situation where Press isn’t quite ready for the World Cup, but does return to play while the tournament is going on, would undoubtedly boost her club team’s fortunes. With most of the league’s very best players on the other side of the world, there would be an opening for Press to go on a tear akin to Crystal Dunn’s MVP season with the Washington Spirit in 2015.

On the other hand, it’s currently unclear how long Press will be out. Pro Soccer Wire reached out to Angel City concerning the date of Press’ third surgical procedure, but had not received comment at the time of publication.

In a February conference call with reporters, Angel City coach Freya Coombe was asked about the timeline for Press to make her return to training. Her answer was largely positive, but notably did not commit to any sort of timeline:

“With Christen we’re really, really pleased with her progress and the way that she has been developing,” said Coombe. “We’ll continue to support her along the way. It’s about being there and celebrating her milestones as she achieves them and as part of her return-to-play [protocol]. But you know, everyone’s journey is unique, and we’ll just continue to support hers.”

If Press were to remain in the return-to-play protocol through the preseason, her return could be delayed even longer. Once a season begins, most of the team will have travel days for games, regeneration days, and other training occasions where a large enough squad for a “normal” session won’t be possible. Fewer sessions means a slower path when it comes to taking the step from being cleared to train to suiting up on gameday.

In the meantime, Angel City’s front line will largely consist of Simone Charley, Claire Emslie, and Sydney Leroux. That also comes with some injury-related concern: Charley spent much of last season working around knocks that limited her minutes. Leroux — whose 2022 was ended by injury — recently posted an update saying that she had been cleared to resume working with a ball, which is both a positive step and an indicator that she may not be 100% for the early days of the season.

[lawrence-related id=3285,3247,14342]

USWNT World Cup roster projection: Where things stand after SheBelieves Cup

Vlatko Andonovski has an impossible job, but the roster picture is coming into focus

Vlatko Andonovski has an incredibly difficult job on his hands.

The U.S. women’s national team head coach has a seemingly endless supply of talent, but he must narrow that down to a roster of (probably) just 23 players for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer.

The good news for Andonovski is that this isn’t some last-minute list he has to compile. Instead, he’s been narrowing it down since taking over the team in 2019. As we enter the final months, it looks like the coach’s roster is almost complete already.

Andonovski said in January that his list had been narrowed from 40 potential players down to 32.

The big factor, as usual, is injuries. There are several key USWNT players still on the mend, with their World Cup place contingent upon their return to health and ability to regain something close to their best form.

Right now almost every U.S. player projects to be healthy by the summer but, of course, there’s also time for setbacks or for other players to get injured.

Here, we do our best to project the 23 players the USWNT will bring to Australia and New Zealand in search of a third straight World Cup title.