Ellis names training camp roster for Chile friendlies

US women’s national team head coach Jill Ellis has named her 23-player training camp for the team’s pair of friendlies against Chile. 18 players will be named to the final roster.

GOALKEEPERS (3): Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC; 0/0), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride; 16/0), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 32/0)

DEFENDERS (7): Abby Dahlkemper (NC Courage; 22/0), Tierna Davidson (Stanford; 10/0), Hailie Mace (UCLA; 1/0), Kelley O’Hara (Utah Royals FC: 107/2), Becky Sauerbrunn (Utah Royals FC; 141/0), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars; 24/0), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC; 20/0)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Morgan Brian (Chicago Red Stars; 77/6), Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars; 64/16),Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC; 54/6), Rose Lavelle (Washington Spirit; 11/3), Carli Lloyd (Sky Blue FC; 257/100), Samantha Mewis (NC Courage; 37/7), McCall Zerboni (NC Courage; 5/0)

FORWARDS (6): Crystal Dunn (NC Courage; 67/23), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC; 136/20),Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride; 145/90), Christen Press (Utah Royals FC; 103/44), Mallory Pugh(Washington Spirit; 35/11), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC; 140/38)

Not returning from the previous training camp roster named for Tournament of Nations are Jaelene Hinkle, Merritt Mathias, Allie Long, Kealia Ohai, and Amy Rodriguez.

The new names for this training camp are Hailie Mace, Kelley O’Hara, and Mallory Pugh.

Hinkle and Ohai didn’t make the final roster cut from the last camp, while Mathias and Rodriguez did not play at all during Tournament of Nations. Allie Long is currently out with a knee injury.

Kelley O’Hara is now returning to training camp after a long rehab for her hamstring, while Pugh has slowly been getting minutes with the Spirit after her own rehab for her right knee. This is not Mace’s first appearance in camp; she got her first cap for the United States back in April against Mexico, but we’ll see if she makes the final cut when Ellis is probably more interested in seeing if O’Hara is ready to get back on the pitch and bolster her strength at fullback.

The United States has never played Chile before; Chile themselves have already qualified for the 2019 World Cup, their first time competing in the tournament. But despite their 4-0 romp over Argentina during qualifying, they had fairly close results against other CONMEBOL nations, tying both Paraguay and Colombia 1-1 during group stage and edging Uruguay 1-0. Realistically, these should not be high-stress games for the USWNT, which will give Ellis room to once again tinker with another lineup or perhaps test out players who are re-adjusting to the pace of international play, like Pugh, Lavelle, Brian, and O’Hara.

USA vs Chile, Game 1
Friday, August 31
11 PM ET / 8 PM PT
StubHub Center, Carson, CA
ESPN2

USA vs Chile, Game 2
Tuesday, September 4
10 PM ET / 7 PM PT
Avaya Stadium, San Jose, CA
ESPN2, UDN