What To Know About the USWNT Summer Series

The USWNT Summer Series kicks off on June 10, 2021. The U.S. will be facing Portugal, Jamaica, and Nigeria. While those teams aren’t the toughest competition, the games will be crucial in setting up the team for the Olympics. After these three games, head coach Vlatko Andonovski will cut down the roster to just 18 players for the Olympics. The pressure on the players vying for spots is high, young players trying to edge their way in and veterans holding onto their spots for dear life alike. Here’s a preview of the Summer Series and what it could mean for the final Olympic roster for the games in Tokyo this summer. 

The Roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

DEFENDERS (8): Alana Cook (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA), Abby Dahlkemper (Manchester City, ENG), Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars), Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns FC), Kelley O’Hara (Washington Spirit), Margaret Purce (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC), Emily Sonnett (Washington Spirit)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign), Catarina Macario (Olympique Lyonnais, FRA), Kristie Mewis (Houston Dash), Samantha Mewis (North Carolina Courage), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit)

FORWARDS (6): Carli Lloyd (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride), Christen Press (Manchester United, ENG), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Lynn Williams (North Carolina Courage)

Players To Watch

The USWNT Summer Series is sure to be full of new combinations. A few players to keep an eye out for are midfielder Catarina Macario, forward Sophia Smith, and forward Lynn Williams. 

Midfielder Catarina Macario has been making a lot of progress in her career overseas playing for Lyon. Macario scored in five consecutive games, and coach Andonovski has said he’s excited to see what she’ll bring to the team. 

The youngest player on the team is 20-year-old forward Sophia Smith from the Portland Thorns. She shows a lot of promise as one of the youngest players in the NWSL and is already a major attacking threat for her team.

Lynn Williams is another player to pay attention to during this tournament. Although Williams is an incredible attacking player, the USWNT is a powerhouse when it comes to her position. She’s the lead American scorer in all of NWSL history, but in regards to her spot on the Olympic roster, she’ll really have to prove herself amongst the five other forwards on the Summer Series roster. 

Who’s Missing?

As coach Andonovski named the 23 player roster for the Summer series, missing was power midfielder Julie Ertz. Ertz is still recovering from an MCL sprain that she sustained early in the NWSL season but should make a recovery prior to the Olympics. The question remains, who will be filling in for her during the Summer Series? And will she really be fully fit for the Olympics?

Ertz is an extremely key player and hard to find a replacement for on the field. Coach Andonovksi will likely test out different players in the Summer Series to try to find the best fit for a replacement, just in case Ertz isn’t fully recovered by the time of the Olympic roster announcement. The tournament will be a time for assessing and reassessing player’s assets on the field. Andi Sullivan, specifically, could make an argument for herself in Ertz’s absence.

In addition to Julie Ertz, forward Tobin Heath was missing from the Summer Series roster because of two long-lasting injuries. She’ll be practicing with the USWNT leading up to the friendly tournament, and hopes are she’ll make a full recovery in time for the Olympics. If she doesn’t, that’s another all-but-guaranteed spot left wide open.

Also notably absent from the roster are veterans Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger. At this point, it seems unlikely they’ll be contending for a spot on the final Olympic roster.

Who Will Make the Olympic Roster?

Questions also surround veteran player Carli Lloyd. She rode the bench most of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, but with a change in coaches, her role is predicted to change on the team. Lloyd’s performance both for the USWNT and her NWSL team has been improving. 

She has a good shot at making the Olympic roster if she continues to be as determined as she is. Still, the performance of younger players like Catarina Macario, Sophia Smith, and Lynn Williams remains to be seen and could impact her status. 

Overall the Summer Series will be a big test for many players on the team as the roster must be cut down from 23 players to 18 for the Olympics. While it may seem like certain players are shoe-ins, no one’s spot is guaranteed on a roster this small.

This will be Andonovski’s first major tournament at the helm of the USWNT, and he could very well surprise us all with his final roster. One thing’s certain: the Summer Series is going to be a can’t-miss event. Which players will make the trip to Tokyo in search of gold? Who will be left behind? And will any of the youngsters cement themselves in USWNT history? 

Featured Image via @USWNT on Instagram

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