USWNT roster projection: Ertz making late push with Angel City
Editor’s Note: "Plane to Australia/New Zealand" is FOX Sports’ biweekly feature tracking the progress of players hoping to make the United States women’s national team’s 23-player roster for the 2023 FIFA World Cup.
Vlatko Andonovski has stated multiple times that in order to make the roster for this summer's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, players must be getting regular minutes for their respective club teams. This is paramount, Andonovski has said, since there is not another U.S. women's national team camp or FIFA window before the final roster comes out in June.
Andonovski has communicated that to his players. That's why it was so important for Julie Ertz, who had a baby in August, to sign with a NWSL club this month after her big return to the national team. Ertz joined Angel City and said that Andonovski was a good sounding board as she was making her decision.
"Players can come into form right before the World Cup and during the World Cup, but he's like, ‘I'm coming to games,'" Alex Morgan said last week on the Just Women's Sports podcast "Snacks" with Sam Mewis and Lynn Williams.
"He's going to games every weekend looking at players. It's the first time we've had a coach come out [and say], ‘Your club play is important. That's what's going to make or break a spot for you.'"
While we won't hear from Andonovski directly until the roster drops in June, keep checking this space as it will provide updates about how players are performing in NWSL games as well as how others might be progressing with injuries.
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FIRST CLASS
Goalkeepers
Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
The most in-form keeper is back to starting regularly for the Red Stars after the final USWNT camp.
Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage)
The Courage have lost three of their last four games and Murphy has given up four goals. But she still remains the USWNT's primary backup over Adrianna Franch.
Defenders
After scoring her first career goal for the national team against Ireland on April 11 (which was also her birthday), Cook resumed her starting place at center back for the second-place Reign.
Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns)
Dunn, who plays in the midfield for the Thorns, recently scored her second goal of the season in a draw vs. the Houston Dash.
Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage)
Fox has started three consecutive games for the Courage — at both left and right back — since returning to her club after USWNT camp.
The 22-year-old Girma played a full 90 minutes against the Reign with Andonovski in the crowd.
Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns)
The USWNT captain starts every game at center back for the first-place Thorns.
Midfielders
Horan last played for Lyon in the Champions League quarterfinal loss in March. The club's next match is not until May.
Lavelle has not played for her club since suffering a knock against Ireland during the April FIFA window.
Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit)
Sullivan is playing full matches for the Spirit, but her starting spot this summer is still up in the air after Julie Ertz's big return to the USWNT and NWSL.
Forwards
Nothing to see here, other than Morgan dishing out an assist in the Wave's 2-0 win over Angel City over the weekend.
Rapinoe is back in action after missing the last USWNT camp with a minor injury. On Saturday, she was credited with a goal in a 5-2 win over the Red Stars after forcing an own goal.
Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit)
Rodman scored this brilliant goal in a recent win over the Courage.
Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns)
Smith, the reigning NWSL MVP, leads the league with four goals and four assists.
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ECONOMY
Goalkeepers
Adrianna Franch (Kansas City Current)
Franch was on the bench during Kansas City's 2-0 win against Orlando over the weekend. The previous week, she had an own goal in a 4-2 loss to the Red Stars.
Defenders
Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars)
Davidson, who missed the 2022 NWSL season after tearing her ACL, has played 90 minutes in each of the last three Red Stars matches.
Huerta has started two of the last three matches since returning to her club after USWNT camp.
Midfielders
Ertz signed with Angel City and promptly started her first match against the San Diego Wave over the weekend. She played 72 minutes in the loss after not playing more than a half for the USWNT earlier this month.
Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit)
Sanchez has played in all three matches for the Spirit since coming back to the club after USWNT camp. She started in two games and played a full 90 in one.
Forwards
Williams recently scored her 60th NWSL goal (tied with Christine Sinclaire for the second-most in league history) in a 1-0 win over the Courage. Williams has been on fire lately, scoring in four of Gotham's five matches in 2023.
Thompson made her third career start over the weekend in a 2-0 loss to the Wave. The 18-year-old continued to look her confident, dominant self and had a few balls that could have been assists, but went unfinished.
STANDBY LIST
Defenders
Casey Krueger (Chicago Red Stars)
Krueger has played the full 90 minutes in the last three games for the Red Stars, starting alongside Tierna Davidson on the back line.
Since the last USWNT camp, O'Hara has played in two games for Gotham, which has won three of its last four.
Sonnett has started the last three games for the Reign, all wins.
Midfielders
Macario has still not played a match for Lyon. Time is running out for her to make her case for a spot on the squad this summer.
Mewis is doing everything she can to snag a roster spot, which is becoming more difficult for defensive midfielders now that Ertz is back.
Taylor Kornieck (San Diego Wave)
Same thing goes for Kornieck.
Forwards
Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit)
Hatch's game-winning penalty kick vs. the Courage was the 40th goal of her NWSL career. She's now tied for second in the league with three goals this season and is just the eighth player in NWSL history to ever reach the 40-goal mark.
Press, who tore her ACL last year, has not yet played a regular season match for Angel City in 2023.
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.