Megan Rapinoe, Julie Ertz get called up to USWNT for final time

Laken Litman

College Football & Soccer Analyst

After a disappointing finish at this summer’s World Cup, the United States women’s national team is back in action this month.

The squad has been anxious to reconvene with the hopes of quickly moving on from its uncharacteristic and disjointed performance in Australia and New Zealand as it looks toward the Paris 2024 Olympics, which begin in less than 12 months.

As it prepares for the Games, the USWNT will play two friendlies against South Africa — in Cincinnati on Sept. 21 and in Chicago on Sept. 24. As U.S. Soccer works through the process of hiring a new head coach — Vlatko Andonovski resigned following the team’s round of 16 loss to Sweden — Twila Kilgore will run things in the interim.

Kilgore, who was an assistant on Andonovski’s staff, has named a 27-player roster for the upcoming games, which include 21 players from the World Cup squad as well as six new faces. Sophia Smith and Kristie Mewis were not called in due to injuries.

These two friendlies will mark emotional goodbyes for retiring legends Julie Ertz, who will play her final international match in the first game, and Megan Rapinoe, who will play her last game for the USWNT in the second.

“As we continue the search for our new head coach, we felt it was best to call up all of the World Cup players who are fit to play, while also bringing in some players that we believe can help us moving forward as we start our preparations for the Olympics next year,” said U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker. “We’re looking forward to having the opportunity to honor the players who have decided to retire but also know these games are valuable as the first steps towards Paris. Once the new head coach comes in, that individual will assess the player pool and make roster decisions that will be focused on building a team for the future.”

Forward Ashley Hatch, who was shocked when she did not make Andonovski’s World Cup roster, is back, as well as defenders Tierna Davidson and Casey Krueger, and midfielder Sam Coffey. Forwards Mia Fishel and Jaedyn Shaw have the opportunity to earn their first caps.

“The Olympics may seem like they are far away, but the amount of time that the players get with the national team between now and Paris is not a lot, so we need to start that journey now,” Kilgore said in a statement. “No matter who the coach is, or which players get to wear the crest, the standards remain the same and everyone wants to excel, so we’ll be looking forward to putting together two good performances against a South Africa team that showed well at the World Cup.”

USWNT September friendlies roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

DEFENDERS (9): Alana Cook (OL Reign), Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars), Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns FC), Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Sofia Huerta (OL Reign), Casey Krueger (Chicago Red Stars), Kelley O’Hara (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Sonnett (OL Reign)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Savannah DeMelo (Racing Louisville FC), Julie Ertz (Unattached), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign), Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit)

FORWARDS (8): Mia Fishel (Chelsea FC, ENG), Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC), Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham FC)

Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of “Strong Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.

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