Hope Solo, Carli Lloyd headline U.S. women's World Cup qualifying roster
Updated with the late addition of Chris Wondolowski to the U.S. men's roster, and the even later withdrawal of Crystal Dunn from the U.S. women's roster.
United States women's national team head coach Jill Ellis has confirmed the 20-player squad that will take the field in this month's CONCACAF Women's World Cup qualifying tournament. Hope Solo and Delran native Carli Lloyd are among the headliners. Indeed, it's a safe bet you've heard of most of the names on the roster.
Solo, Lloyd and company will play group stage games in Kansas City, suburban Chicago and D.C. before coming to PPL Park for the semifinal and final rounds. The semifinal is the big game, as the two finalists book trips to next summer's showcase in Canada.
Goalkeepers (2): Ashlyn Harris (Washington Spirit), Hope Solo (Seattle Reign)
Midfielders (6: Morgan Brian (University of Virginia), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns), Lauren Holiday (FC Kansas City), Carli Lloyd (Western New York Flash), Heather O'Reilly (Boston Breakers), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign)
Forwards (5): Sydney Leroux (Boston Breakers), Alex Morgan (Portland Timbers), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Seattle Reign (Boston Breakers), Amy Rodriguez (Boston Breakers), Abby Wambach (Western New York Flash)
Solo's participation in the tournament is sure to raise eyebrows, given the furore over the domestic violence allegations against her. Whatever you may think of her case compared to Ray Rice or anyone else, I would think we'd all agree that her remaining in the spotlight has not cast U.S. Soccer in the most positive light when it comes to public perception.
Two hours after the roster was published, a new voice entertered the discourse on Solo's present and future - and it was a consequential one. Jill Loyden, who has served as one of Solo's backups over the last four years, published an op-ed on USA Today's website calling for Solo to be benched.
Loyden also gave an interview to ESPNw.com's Jane McManus in which she said she spoke with Solo before going public with her views.
Concurrent with her remarks, Loyden - a native of Vineland, N.J. who played college soccer at Villanova - announced her retirement from the sport. I was told by her representative that the decision applies to both club and country.
Loyden's international career ends with just 10 caps since her debut in 2010, but there have been countless call-ups to national team camps along the way. She was part of the 2011 Women's World Cup team, and was an alternate for the 2012 Olympics.
The U.S. men's national team also published its latest roster on Monday. Head coach Jurgen Klinsmann unveiled his 21-player squad for the October 10 meeting with Ecuador in East Hartford, Conn. (6:40 p.m., ESPN and UniMás), which will serve as Landon Donovan's national team finale.
There are a few notable names in the squad, but the biggest is likely winger Miguel Ibarra. The 24-year-old plays for Minnesota United in the second-tier North American Soccer League, and is the first NASL player to be called to the senior national team since the brand re-launched in 2010.
"He's a good example that there are different ways to get all the way to the top," Klinsmann said in remarks on U.S. Soccer's website. "He knows he has to prove it now: he has tremendous skill, he has speed, he has an engine, he can take people on, and he keeps everyone on their toes... This now gives him over the next couple days a really good feeling of what he has to work towards in the future."
Another player to watch is Real Salt Lake's Luis Gil, who now finally steps up to a level that many observers expect him to stay at for a long time.
You'll notice that some major names are not on the squad, including Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley and Matt Besler. Klinsmann agreed to let them stay with their MLS clubs through the weekend, but it's expected that they'll be summoned for the October 14 game against Honduras at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton (8:00p.m., ESPN and UniMás).
Here's the full roster:
Goalkeepers (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa/England), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders (7): John Brooks (Hertha Berlin/Germany), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt/Germany), Greg Garza (Club Tijuana/Mexico), Omar Gonzalez (Los Angeles Galaxy), Michael Orozco Fiscal (Puebla/Mexico), Tim Ream (Bolton Wanderers/England), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders)
Midfielders (6): Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes/France), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana/Mexico), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg/Norway), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Julian Green (Hamburg/Germany), Alfredo Morales (FC Ingolstadt/Germany)
Forwards (6): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland/England), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Joe Gyau (Borussia Dortmund/Germany), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich/Germany)