Houston Dash forward Kealia Ohai and midfielders Morgan Brian and Carli Lloyd were selected by U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Jill Ellis for the 24-player roster for two friendly matches against Switzerland on Oct. 19 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah and Oct. 23 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The roster was announced by U.S. Soccer earlier today.
This is the first senior national team roster selection for Ohai who finished with 11 goals and four assists this season. The University of North Carolina product scored the game-winning goal for the U.S. squad that defeated Germany 1-0 in the final of the 2012 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup. The Draper, Utah native can earn her first senior national team cap in her home state if she sees time on the field on Oct. 19. Ohai is the first non-allocated Dash player to be selected for a USWNT roster.
Brian has earned 59 caps with the USWNT and won the Golden Ball as the most outstanding player at the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship last February. The 23-year-old midfielder started in 13 games for the club this season.
Lloyd scored two goals at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and the reigning FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year has played 230 times for the USWNT. The Delran, New Jersey native leads the active team in scoring with 94 career goals. The USWNT co-captain is six goals away from becoming the sixth player in U.S. history to score 100 goals. Lloyd scored five goals and tallied three assists over seven games with the Dash this season.
U.S. Women's National Team Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Stanford), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
DEFENDERS (7): Abby Dahlkemper (Western New York Flash), Arin Gilliland (Chicago Red Stars), Merritt Mathias (Seattle Reign), Kelley O'Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Danielle Colaprico (Chicago Red Stars), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Samantha Mewis (Western New York Flash), Andi Sullivan (Stanford)
FORWARDS (6): Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Shea Groom (FC Kansas City), Ashley Hatch (BYU), Kealia Ohai (Houston Dash), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Lynn Williams (Western New York Flash)
