Women’s soccer opens practice for Olympics
MVPs of last two World Cups, Rapinoe and Lloyd, rejoining squad
Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd have not played competitive soccer since early last year and, at their ages, it’s not unreasonable to suggest their long and spectacular U.S. national team careers are nearing the end.
But with the Olympics on the horizon and both players expressing desire to play in one last major tournament, the MVPs of the past two World Cups were included on the roster for a twoweek camp in Orlando, starting Saturday.
They were among 27 players named to a squad that will also play friendlies against Colombia on Jan. 18 and Jan. 22 at Exploria Stadium.
Lloyd, 38, and Rapinoe, 35, skipped 2020 National Women’s Soccer League activities, which were severely curtailed because of the coronavirus pandemic. They were also not part of the U.S. team for a friendly in November in the Netherlands, the first American match since March.
Coach Vlatko Andonovski said at the time of the Dutch visit that he would not rule them out of 2021 consideration. And on Wednesday, he spoke highly of their preparations ahead of this month’s camp.
“Both of them are a little ahead of where we expected them to be for the January camp from a physical standpoint,” Andonovski said during a conference call with reporters. “The only thing they’re missing is team training. It’s good we have eight, nine trainings before the [first] match and both are expected to get minutes” over the two games.
With players scattered around the country and, in some cases, in Europe, Ellie Maybury, the national team’s head of performance, receives data from their tracking systems that are worn during individual and team workouts.
“Ellie has been monitoring everything they’ve been doing,” Andonovski said. “Everything they do, we follow. We have a pretty good idea where they stand.”
Lloyd (123 goals) is six appearances short of becoming the sixth player in women’s history to play in 300 international matches. Rapinoe has scored 52 times in 168 games,
“As I enter the 16th year of my career, it is still exciting to be called into the first USWNT camp of the year,” Lloyd said in a statement posted on the website of her NWSL club, Sky Blue FC. “I have recovered from my [knee] injury and am feeling fit, strong and sharp. I cannot wait to get back with the team and get to work!”
From a mental standpoint, Andonovski said, “I think they are refreshed. Their mind is rested and they’re very excited to be back in camp.”
The U.S. squad will be without three regulars: Alex Morgan, who is recovering from covid-19; Christen Press, who is working on her fitness after recovering from an illness unrelated to the coronavirus; and Tobin Heath, Press’s Manchester United teammate, who turned down the invitation in order to remain with her club.
The other English-based players, Manchester City’s Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis, will report to camp.
The roster includes four members of the Washington Spirit: goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe, defenders Kelley O’Hara and Emily Sonnett, and midfielder Andi Sullivan.
Emily Fox, a University of North Carolina defender from Ashburn, Va., was summoned for the first time since January 2019. Other collegians include Florida State’s Jaelin Howell and Stanford’s Catarina Macario, a Brazilian-born naturalized citizen who is awaiting FIFA eligibility approval. That isn’t likely to come until March, at the earliest, Andonovski said.
Notes: U.S. under-20 star Trinity Rodman, a Washington State freshman and daughter of former basketball standout Dennis Rodman, is considering turning pro, three people familiar with the situation said. The NWSL Draft will take place next Wednesday.
Lloyd, 38, and Rapinoe, 35, skipped 2020 National Women’s Soccer League activities, which were severely curtailed because of the coronavirus pandemic.