The U.S. women’s national team has announced two roster changes ahead of next week’s friendlies against South Africa.
NY/NJ Gotham FC forward Midge Purce and Angel City FC defender M.A. Vignola have been called into the USWNT, replacing Rose Lavelle and Kelley O’Hara.
Per U.S. Soccer, Lavelle is “still recovering” from a knock suffered playing for OL Reign, but will come to Cincinnati for what the federation says will be “evaluation.” While O’Hara is similarly not fully fit, the federation says she will “remain with her club to continue her progression to full fitness.”
Coming in will be one player with plenty of USWNT experience, and one with absolutely none. Purce has 23 caps, and while she missed out on a World Cup place, she did participate in the SheBelieves Cup this spring. As a wide forward Purce is not an obvious replacement for Lavelle, but interim coach Twila Kilgore’s squad has two other No. 10s in Savannah DeMelo and Ashley Sanchez.
Potential debut for Angel City’s Vignola
Vignola, on the other hand, hasn’t represented her country since playing at the Under-17 level. The 25-year-old, a Cincinnati native, has broken through as Angel City’s starting left back this season after injuries largely kept her off the field in 2022.
She is more or less a like-for-like replacement for O’Hara, but pushing into the mix for playing time will still be difficult. Kilgore has four other fullbacks (Crystal Dunn, Emily Fox, Sofia Huerta, and Casey Krueger) in camp, and three of them can play left back.
Vignola is not the only uncapped player to get a call for this international window. She’s joined by forwards Mia Fishel and Jaedyn Shaw, with the USWNT looking towards the future after a World Cup that ended in disappointing fashion.
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