Houston Dash midfielders Carli Lloyd and Morgan Brian and defender Meghan Klingenberg have been called into the U.S. Women’s National Team for matches in France and England, head coach Jill Ellis announced today.
The 24-player group will spend 13 days in Europe and play two matches: against France on Feb. 8 in Lorient (11 a.m. CT on ESPN2) and against England on Feb. 13 in Milton Keynes (2 p.m. CT on FOX Sports 1). France is currently ranked third in the world by FIFA, while England is ranked sixth. The United States is second.
Lloyd, 32, has earned 183 caps for the United States, scoring 61 international goals. The attacking midfielder led the U.S. in goals (15), assists (8) and starts (23 out of 24) in 2014 while earning the Golden Ball award at the CONCACAF Women’s Championship and being named a finalist for U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year.
Brian, 21, is the youngest player on the USWNT roster. A native of St. Simons Island, Georgia, Brian has made 19 appearances for the full national team and scored three goals. The midfielder was recently drafted by the Dash with the No. 1 overall pick in the NWSL College Draft from the University of Virginia.
Klingenberg, 26, has made 23 appearances for the national team. The Pittsburgh native started two matches during the United States’ runner-up finish at the International Tournament of Brasilia in December. All three players were part of the United States’ most recent January training camp in Carson, California.
U.S. Women's National Team Roster By Position
GOALKEEPERS (3): Nicole Barnhart (FC Kansas City), Ashlyn Harris (Washington Spirit), Alyssa Naeher (Boston Breakers)
DEFENDERS (9): Lori Chalupny (Chicago Red Stars), Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Whitney Engen (Western NY Flash), Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars), Meghan Klingenberg (Houston Dash), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), Kelley O'Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Rachel Van Hollebeke (Portland Thorns FC)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Shannon Boxx (Chicago Red Stars), Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lauren Holiday (FC Kansas City), Tori Huster (Washington Spirit), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Heather O'Reilly (FC Kansas City)
FORWARDS (5): Sydney Leroux (Seattle Reign FC), Alex Morgan (Portland Thorns FC), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Amy Rodriguez (FC Kansas City), Abby Wambach (Western NY Flash)
