Five Spirit Players Called Up to USWNT for Two September Friendly Matches
Washington Spirit | September 12, 2023
The U.S. will play South Africa in two international friendly matches hosted in Cincinnati and Chicago
Washington, D.C. (09/12/2023) – Five Washington Spirit players have been called up to the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) to participate in international friendly matches against South Africa later this month, U.S. Soccer announced today. Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury, midfielders Ashley Sanchez and Andi Sullivan and forwards Ashley Hatch and Trinity Rodman will report to national team training early next week.
Sullivan is the most experienced USWNT call-up from the group with 49 caps while Hatch has scored the most goals (5), doing so in only 19 appearances. In the USWNT’s 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup sendoff match against Wales in July, Rodman recorded her first international brace, tallying her third and fourth scores for the U.S. Sanchez has made the second-most appearances for the U.S. with 25, notching three goals and four assists in the process. Kingsbury recorded a clean sheet in her lone appearance for the USWNT in April 2022. Together, the quintet has a combined 116 appearances, 15 goals and 13 assists.
The USWNT will travel to Cincinnati, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois to play South Africa in friendlies on September 21 and 24. The two fixtures will be played at TQL Stadium and Soldier Field, home of MLS’ FC Cincinnati and Chicago Fire FC, respectively. Both matches will be broadcast on TNT and NBC Universo while also streaming on Peacock.
With four matches remaining in the 2023 regular season, the Spirit attacking third of Hatch, Rodman and Sanchez has combined for 18 goals and five assists. In the midfield, Sullivan has started 15 matches, playing the full 90 minutes in all but one outing while Kingsbury has started 16 matches in goal, earning three clean sheets this season.
The Spirit’s next home match will be on Saturday, September 30 when the team takes on the Kansas City Current. Tickets are available here. The club announced earlier this year that it would host all home matches moving forward at Audi Field in Buzzard Point, ensuring players and fans alike access to a facility befitting a professional club. Fans can secure tickets to all home matches in 2024 with a season membership.
About The Washington Spirit
The Washington Spirit is the professional women’s soccer team based at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. Launched in 2012, the Spirit plays in the National Women’s Soccer League, the premier women’s soccer competition in North America. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and follow the club on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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