Injuries bring additions to USWNT victory tour roster

As the United States women’s national team prepares for their friendlies against Portugal, US Soccer has announced that there will be some changes to their World Cup victory tour roster. Chicago’s Casey Short and North Carolina’s Kristen Hamilton will join the roster for both games against Portugal.

Head coach Jill Ellis said via press release, “With the injuries we currently have to several World Cup players, and with two of our main priorities on the Victory Tour being spreading around the minutes and keeping players healthy for their clubs during this critical playoff push, it made sense to call in Casey and Kristen to give us options and depth for these games against what will be a tough Portugal team.”

Short will join the defenders - a position many in the media and among fans will say should have been her place during the World cup as well - and Hamilton will slot in among the forwards. Hamilton was originally supposed to join the U-23s for the Nordic Cup as one of several allowed overage players, but they’ll have to make do without her now that the senior team is calling. It will be Hamilton’s first full senior team call-up.

There are several NT players dealing with injuries; from the last NWSL injury report, Morgan Brian, Tierna Davidson, Alyssa Naeher, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Mal Pugh, and Rose Lavelle were all listed as out or questionable. Lavelle and Morgan are both dealing with concussions and Rapinoe’s Achilles has left her sitting out for several weeks now. Full roster below:

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

DEFENDERS (8): Abby Dahlkemper (NC Courage), Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars), Crystal Dunn (NC Courage), Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride), Kelley O’Hara (Utah Royals FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (Utah Royals FC), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Morgan Brian (Chicago Red Stars), Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Rose Lavelle (Washington Spirit), Allie Long (Reign FC), Samantha Mewis (NC Courage)

FORWARDS (8): Kristen Hamilton (NC Courage), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Carli Lloyd (Sky Blue FC), Jessica McDonald (NC Courage), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride), Christen Press (Utah Royals FC), Mallory Pugh (Washington Spirit), Megan Rapinoe (Reign FC)

Schedule vs Portugal:

Game 1
Thursday, August 29, 7 PM ET
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
FS1

Game 2
Tuesday, September 3, 8 PM ET
St. Paul, Minnesota
ESPN2