USWNT roster for December friendlies vs China: Alex Morgan left off USA squad as US women transition to new era

The United States women's national team will begin the Emma Hayes era in early December with a pair of friendlies against China in Florida and Texas.

Well, kind of.

Hayes, recently hired as the permanent replacement for departed head coach Vlatko Andonovski, is still finishing the season out with Chelsea, and won't take over officially until the club campaign comes to a close next spring.

Yet the USWNT is already phasing her into the job, with sporting director Matt Crocker admitting she had a hand in selecting the roster for the coming matches.

With the first match against China on December 2nd in Ft. Lauderdale followed by another on December 5 in Frisco, Texas, the new coach's imprint is already being made even from thousands of miles away.

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USWNT roster for December friendlies vs China

Interim head coach Twila Kilgore has called up 26 players to the United States women's national team for a pair of early December matches against China.

The roster was constructed primarily by Kilgore, but the interim boss said it was a "collaborative" effort in tandem with incoming permanent head coach Emma Hayes and sporting director Matt Crocker. Crocker said he is "hopeful" that Hayes will be able to join in-person for the December camp, but is aware that her Chelsea obligations may take precedence.

Veterans Alex Morgan, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Alyssa Naeher were not included in the squad, while a host of young players have been given a chance to impress.

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Alex Morgan, Becky Sauerbrunn, other vets left off USWNT roster

Emma Hayes' influence has been felt even before the current Chelsea head coach officially takes charge of the U.S. women's national team.

A host of veteran stars, headlined by Alex Morgan, were not included in the squad for the December friendlies against China. Others left out were defender Becky Sauerbrunn, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, and midfielders Ashley Sanchez and Andi Sullivan. Morgan and Sauerbrunn have both earned over 200 international caps in their careers, with the former serving as a team co-captain at the 2023 Women's World Cup.

Naeher, with 97 caps of her own, has been ever-present in goal for the U.S. women since the retirement of Hope Solo in 2016, while the likes of Sullivan (51 caps) and Sanchez (27 caps) have had a consistent starting role in the USWNT midfield for a number of years as well.

However, there's still a veteran influence present in the squad, ruling out a full youth movement as the reason for their exclusion. The likes of Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle, Emily Sonnett, Abby Dahlkemper, and Lynn Williams, all with over 50 international caps, were called in. For the 30-year-old Dahlkemper, it represents her first international call-up since April of 2022, largely thanks to a back injury, but she returned to play six games for NWSL regular season champs San Diego Wave at the end of the season.

"We value these players who have recently been in camps or played in the World Cup and were not chosen for this roster, and they are of course still part of our pool, but we know what they bring on and off the field," said interim head coach Twila Kilgore during her media availability after the release of the roster. "At the same time, we also need to continue to evaluate and bring along players in the right ways to give the team the best chance for success."

This is far from the last we will hear from the likes of Morgan and Naeher, and their absence could be nothing more than some well-earned rest for players at an advanced age after the conclusion of the NWSL season. Yet it does signal that Hayes is serious about ushering in the next wave of talent; and that a collection of international experience doesn't mean players can simply walk into her squad.

Uncapped youngsters Albert, Nighswonger called up to USWNT

USWNT fans will be excited about a pair of players handed their first international call-ups to the USWNT, as midfielders Korbin Albert and Jenna Nighswonger will get a chance to impress the transitional coaching staff.

20-year-old Albert plays her club fixtures with French side PSG, earning a place in the starting lineup through November and rewarded with a national team place. She has seen time in six Division 1 Feminin matches this season, including three starts, plus one Champions League appearance off the bench.

While she has yet to prove a threat in front of goal or provide much defensive cover, Albert has been exceptional in the progressional phase of play, excelling with her abilities both passing and carrying the ball forward. Despite just 65 touches per 90 minutes, Albert has completed 40 carries, over 1.5 successful dribbles, and 49 completed passes, all in the 90th percentile or above amongst midfielders in Europe.

Nighswonger will be more well-known to the domestic fanbase, having recently helped NJ/NY Gotham FC to a surprise NWSL championship this season, winning the NWSL Rookie of the Year award in the process.

Set to turn 23 just days before her potential USWNT debut, Nighswonger was a key contributor in both the attacking and defensive phases of midfield this season. While listed as a midfielder, she was deployed mostly as a left-back this season; and could be a versatile option for Emma Hayes if she manages to impress on national team duty.

Nighswonger may have been new to the NWSL, but she was no rookie, a standout four-year veteran of NCAA women's soccer powerhouse Florida State, finishing her senior year in 2022 as one of three finalists for the MAC Hermann Trophy award, college soccer's most prestigious individual award. Curiously, Nighswonger has multiple Olimpico goals to her name during her collegiate career, having scored two during her NCAA days and could have had a third which was chalked up officially as an own-goal.

Another uncapped player in the squad is 18-year-old Olivia Moultrie, who was part of the USWNT squad for the October friendlies against Colombia but did not manage to see the field for her international debut. Meanwhile, MA Vignola appears for the third consecutive international break, having earned her first cap in the October window, as did 18-year-old Jaedyn Shaw. Young forward Mia Fishel appears as well, impressing her club coach Hayes at Chelsea enough to retain her newly-earned place in the international squad.