WPS Chicago Stars FC

Red Stars' Rapinoe Named to U.S. WNT Roster

Published on October 5, 2009 under Women's Professional Soccer (WPS)
Chicago Stars FC News Release


BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. - Chicago Red Stars midfielder Megan Rapinoe was named to the U.S. Women's National Team's 18-player roster Monday. She joins a U.S. team that faces defending FIFA Women's World Cup champion Germany on Oct. 29 at Impuls Arena in Augsburg, Germany.

Rapinoe has played in all seven of the U.S.'s international matches in 2009, leading the national team with five points (two goals, one assist). She currently has 11 career international caps and four career international goals.

For more, read the release below from the U.S. Soccer Communications Center.

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From the U.S. Soccer Communications Center:

PIA SUNDHAGE NAMES U.S. WOMEN'S ROSTER TO FACE GERMANY ON OCT. 29 AT IMPULS ARENA IN AUGSBURG, GERMANY

World's Top Two Ranked Teams Clash in Venue for 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup

CHICAGO (Oct. 5, 2009) - Following a 12-day training camp at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., U.S. Women's National Team head coach Pia Sundhage has named an 18-player roster for the USA's match against Germany on Oct. 29 at the newly constructed Impuls Arena in Augsburg, Germany. It will be the first meeting since January of 2007 between the world's top two women's powers and the first time the USA has played in Germany since the summer of 2000.

The stadium in Augsburg is one of nine venues that will host matches of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. The USA is currently first in the FIFA Women's World Rankings. Germany is ranked second.

The match kicks off at 6 p.m. local time (1 p.m. ET) and fans can follow on ussoccer.com's MatchTracker. The Bavarian city of Augsburg is located in south-central Germany, about 42 miles northwest of Munich. Augsburg will host four matches during Germany 2011, including one quarterfinal, but this will be the first international match at the new venue and an important test run for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. Tickets are available until Thursday via ussoccer.com.

U.S. defender Lori Chalupny will captain the U.S. side in the absence of Christie Rampone, who is on maternity leave. Central defenders Rachel Buehler and Amy LePeilbet will be called upon to solidify the U.S. backline along with veterans Heather Mitts and Cat Whitehill. Sundhage also named 22-year-old Brittany Bock, who will be looking for her first-ever full national team cap.

Shannon Boxx and Carli Lloyd, the USA's two center midfielders who played key roles at the 2008 Olympics, were named to the roster along with flank midfielders Heather O'Reilly and Megan Rapinoe. Yael Averbuch makes her first game roster under Sundhage and will look to add to her two career caps earned in 2007. Lori Lindsey makes her first game roster since 2005 and will be looking to add to her one career cap. Twenty-one year-old Tobin Heath was the only current collegiate player selected. Veteran Angela Hucles, the USA's leading scorer at the 2008 Olympics, rounds out the midfield.

Abby Wambach, the USA's current active leading scorer with 100 career goals, and 22-year-old Amy Rodriguez were the only true forwards named to the roster, but Sundhage has several options to play up top, notably Rapinoe and O'Reilly. The USA's top two goalkeepers, Hope Solo and Nicole Barnhart, were both named.

This match will mark the 25th meeting between the two countries (counting two matches against the former West Germany) with the USA having won 16 games, lost four and tied four. The two most successful women's soccer nations have met in several of the most epic matches in U.S. history, including a 5-2 U.S. win in the semifinal of the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup, a 3-2 U.S. win the quarterfinal of the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, a 3-0 U.S. loss in the semifinal of the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup and a 2-1 win in the semifinal of the 2004 Olympics.

The match in Augsburg will come on the tail end of an eight-day training camp in Germany. The game also comes about six weeks after the completion of the 2009 European Women's Championship. Germany won the tournament, downing England 6-2 in the championship game in Helsinki, Finland.

The USA played two friendly matches in Europe in July of last year, playing in both Sweden and Norway, but prior to that had not traveled to Europe for a friendly match since the middle of 2000 when the Americans played two matches in Norway. That trip to Norway followed a three-match run in Germany at the DFB Jubilee Cup where the USA faced Norway, China and Germany. The match against the Germans marked the last time the USA faced the two-time defending Women's World Cup champions in their home country, earning a 1-0 victory on a goal from Julie Foudy.

Eight of the nine WPS clubs are represented on the roster with only the expansion Atlanta Beat without a player. Defender Heather Mitts and midfielder Carli Lloyd are currently out of contract.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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