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Editor’s note: “Flight to Australia/New Zealand” is FOX Sports’ bi-weekly feature tracking the progress of players hoping to make the 23-man roster for the United States National Team for the 2023 FIFA World Cup.
With a few more locations available to grab at Vlatko Andonovski’s world Cup list, perhaps no one makes a better argument than Alisa Thompson. The 18-year-old has scored three goals in five matches Angel Cityincluding two in the last two games.
The thing about Thompson’s targets is that they all sway to being the epic target of the nwsl weekend. Take the goal you scored in Angel City’s 3-2 win over… Current Kansas City Sunday. Thompson ran a deep pass into the penalty area, clipped the ball to her right foot on the end line to beat the defender, then shot the ball at an impossible angle that hit the far post and bounced into the goal.
Admittedly, Andonovski plans to build USWNT around Sophia Smith And Mallory Swanson, but with Swanson recovering from patellar tendon surgery and unavailable for the World Cup this summer, Andonofsky will have to get creative with a few different players to fill her spot. Thompson makes a strong case.
With that said, here’s where the USWNT player gathers:
First grade
goalkeepers
Alyssa Naher (Chicago Red Stars)
Yes, Naher allowed two goals in the 2-1 loss to Gotham at the weekend. But the sun was in her face as she defended the southern goal at the Siatjik Stadium.
Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage)
Same goes for Murphy. She allowed three goals in a 3-3 tie against the Thorns over the weekend, but two of them came from a fellow USWNT member Crystal Dunn. The upside?
The Defenders
He still starts every match for the first-place finisher.
Crystal Dunn (Portland thistles)
Dunne is first in the league with four goals, the same amount Alex Morgansophia smith, Ashley Hatch and Lynn Williams.
Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage)
Fox still starts every match for the guts. She also assisted on the winning goal in a 1-0 win over Houston on April 28.
Girma is yet to get off the field for the wave, playing the full 90 minutes in every game so far this season.
Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland thistles)
Sauerbrunn did not play for the Thorns this weekend due to a foot injury. You are expected to be abroad for two weeks.
midfielders
Horan came off the bench in Lyon’s 3-0 win over Dijon on Saturday.
Lavelle has yet to play for her club since suffering a knock against Ireland during the April FIFA window.
Andy Sullivan (Washington Spirit)
Sullivan has started all six games for the Spirit this season. She played almost every minute, but lost in the 86th minute during a 3-1 win over The Wave on Sunday.
attackers
Morgan scored four goals in five matches for the Wave, all of which came from inside the box.
Rapinoe made her second start in as many matches, in a 2-0 victory over Houston Dash On 6 May, she played 75 minutes, the most since a minor injury kept her out of friendlies in April.
Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit)
Rodman is ready for the big stage. The 20-year-old became the youngest player in NWSL history to reach 10 goals and 10 assists Sam Kerr. This is the goal she scored in a 3-1 win over The Wave (she also had an assist).
Sophia Smith (Portland thistles)
Smith continues to dominate, leading the league in assists (5), shots (28) and shots on goal (19). It is second (tied with Morgan, Dunn & Hatch) with four goals.
Williams scores literally every chance she gets for Gotham. She marked her 103rd goal contribution (goal or assist) over the weekend, giving her the most in Premier League history. This is why we take it to the first level.
Economy
goalkeepers
Adriana French (Current Kansas City)
French has not played in the last three matches for the current account.
The Defenders
Terna Davison (Chicago Red Stars)
Davidson, who has played 90 minutes in five of the Red Stars’ six matches, is doing all she can to make up this list after recovering from a torn ACL last year.
Huerta has played nearly every minute at quarterback for the Reigns this season.
midfielders
Ertz missed the Angel City match on May 7, but fear not, it was for a good reason. She and her husband, Zach Ertz, were in Philadelphia for the grand opening of the House of Hope, which will provide “necessary services and programs” for underserved youth and families in the community.
Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit)
Sanchez scored her first goal of the season (which was assisted by best friend Trinity Rodman) in a 3-1 win over The Wave on 6 May.
attackers
The 18-year-old’s case for a seat on the plane gets stronger every match she plays.
standby list
The Defenders
Casey Krueger (Chicago Red Stars)
Kruger played the full 90 minutes in five of the six matches for the Red Stars.
O’Hara has started five of six games for Gotham, who have won three of their last four.
Sonnett started every game at number one for the Reign.
midfielders
Macario has not yet played a match – and was not available – with Lyon.
Mewis has started every game for the club this season.
Taylor Cornick (San Diego Wave)
Kornic has missed the Wave’s last few games with an abdominal injury.
attackers
Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit)
Hatch is tied for second in the league in scoring (four goals). The most recent of these came in a 1-1 draw against Chicago on April 29.
Press, who tore up the ACL last year, is yet to play a regular season game with Angel City in 2023. She recently told ESPN that she’s had some setbacks but is getting her body back and expects to join her squad soon.
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball, and soccer for FOX Sports. She has previously written for Sports Illustrated, USA Today, and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of Strong Like a Woman, which will be published in the spring of 2022 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.
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