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Sermanni names USWNT squad for friendly vs. Brazil

USA Starting XI

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By DAN KARELL

With 2015 Women’s World Cup qualifying beginning next year, U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Tom Sermanni is continuing his policy of squad rotation with the addition of a few new faces into the team that will face Brazil in a friendly match on Sunday.

Though many regulars such as Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, and Christy Rampone remain, Sermanni has recalled the European-based Lindsey Horan, FC Kansas City’s Erika Tymrak, and could give USWNT debuts to defender Amber Brooks and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. Due to women’s UEFA Champions League matches and the fact that the friendly match isn’t on a FIFA date, the USWNT lost the services of Megan Rapinoe (Lyon), Ali Krieger, Meghan Klingenberg, Christen Press and Whitney Engen (all with Tyresö).

The USWNT is coming off a surprising 1-1 draw against New Zealand last Wednesday after defeating the Kiwis, 4-1, in San Francisco on Oct. 27. The match against Brazil on Sunday begins at 3:30pm and is live on NBC. During the 2013 calendar year, Sermanni’s side is 12-0-3.

Here’s a look at the full USWNT roster for the Brazil friendly match:

USWNT ROSTER FOR BRAZIL FRIENDLY

GOALKEEPERS: 18-Nicole Barnhart (FC Kansas City), 28-Alyssa Naeher (Boston Breakers), 1-Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC)

DEFENDERS: 16-Rachel Buehler (Portland Thorns FC), 14-Stephanie Cox (Seattle Reign FC), 8-Kristie Mewis (FC Kansas City), 3-Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), 26-Leigh Ann Robinson (FC Kansas City), 4-Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City)

MIDFIELDERS: 7-Yael Averbuch (unattached), 22-Amber Brooks (Bayern Munich), 12-Lauren Holiday (FC Kansas City), 10-Carli Lloyd (WNY Flash), 9-Heather O’Reilly (Boston Breakers), 23-Erika Tymrak (Bayern Munich)

FORWARDS: 25-Lindsey Horan (Paris Saint Germain), 2-Sydney Leroux (Boston Breakers), 13-Alex Morgan (Portland Thorns FC), 20-Abby Wambach (WNY Flash)

Comments

  1. I enjoy the women’s matches, and don’t think that the quality is an issue. It’s just that the sports market for men is highly saturated right now. Perhaps more woman can go out and get the ticket sales up, and help get the tv deals done.

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  2. instead of all these friendlies, why not put more effort into the WOMEN’S league. It should be 8-12 teams and lots of cash can be made by this. Either partner the league with MLS or NASL.

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    • I don’t think a league format suits women’s sports. Leagues require a hard core fan base that live for the weekend game, think Mondays were meant to talk about Sunday, buy overpriced jerseys and $5 beer and so on. Women don’t provide that kind of fan base and most men (even fans of the game) are going to walk around in a Alex Morgan jersey. I think tournaments and one off games are the way to go.

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  3. btw do the USWNT ever play away friendlies? or is the USA the only place where women exhibition games make money. Hard to believe Brazilian women aren’t as good as ours

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    • Well, they have played in Germany, Netherlands and Canada this year. But, the reality is that both teams can come out in a better financial shape by playing in the US. The Dutch crowd was 8k, the smallest crowd by about 4k all year (excluding the always-horribly attended Algarve Cup matches in Portugal).

      It’s a lot like why Mexico’s men play all the friendlies they can in the US — more money.

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      • great point

        I guess it shouldn’t be a shock if we see the Kiwi’s womens team play say the Chilean womens team in the US

      • The sheer number of friendlies played in the US this past year — men & women — was incredible. Since US Soccer usually gets a cut, we are more than happy to let them come to play.

      • I’ve heard it’s about 10% of the gate, but I’m guessing it’s negotiated. Countries can’t play without USSF permission, but there’s nothing to be made from Haiti women playing the Philippines.

        USSF shows “international match revenues” of $4.5 million last year & I think that is the line item that covers these games. It’s all profit because it’s not really cutting into the USSF’s revenue anywhere else — those Mexican fans aren’t deciding between that friendly with Finland that was just held in San Diego and the US women taking on NZ.

        Teams seem to like coming to the US to play … fewer hassles from fans, easy travel, play in a neutral environment, have a higher ticket price than back home, connect with the ex-pat community, get to play better teams in a neutral environment without the back-and-forth of picking a site. All-in-all, it adds to the overall US soccer culture in a very good way.

  4. Anybody know if the Brazilian soccer poo-bahs have pulled their heads out of their backsides and started to support their women’s side?

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