In his first task as U.S. women’s national soccer team coach, Vlatko Andonovski needed to assemble a roster in short order for the last two friendlies of 2019. The start of his first training camp was days away.
There were the obvious selections from the World Cup championship squad, but because of injuries to several regulars, a pregnancy and the need to continue incorporating others, Andonovski chose seven players who were not with the team in France this summer.
Some had just missed out on the World Cup roster and continued receiving call-ups this fall from Jill Ellis, Andonovski’s predecessor.