On Monday, Tom Sermanni, head coach of the U.S. Women's National Team, named the roster for the 2014 Algarve Cup in Portugal. The U.S. WNT is seeking its second straight Algarve Cup win, with the opening match beginning on March 5th.
One notable player omitted from this year's roster is Alex Morgan. She is currently in the final recovery stages from a nagging ankle injury. Morgan scored both goals in last year's 2-0 championship victory over Germany.
Morgan's absence from the trip begs the question—who is going to step up for the U.S. WNT on the front line? With Sermanni's typical 4-4-2 lineup, Morgan's replacement will most likely line up alongside Abby Wambach, who is currently leading the women's all-time international scoring list with 165 goals. Wambach will need someone who can not only set her up for goals, but individually create chances. Here are a few of the players I think need to step up in Morgan's absence:
1. Sarah Hagen
While this isn't Hagen's first call up—that came last November—this is her first tournament with the senior WNT. She has some experience with the U-23 side, scoring in all three games of the Four Nations Tournament back in 2011. Currently, the 24-year-old forward plays for FC Bayern Munich of the German Bundesliga. She has scored seven goals so far in 11 matches—good for third in the league in the 2013-2014 season. If she does get minutes, she will be a great threat, both on the ground and through the air. At 5'11", she is another strong target alongside Wambach.
2. Sydney Leroux
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi8dauNt7kU[embed]
Leroux has shown that even when not in the starting line up, it doesn’t take long for her to make an impact. In 2012, she set a new U.S. WNT record for most goals scored off the bench in a single season with 14. During a game against Mexico in September 2013, it only took Leroux nine minutes to score a hat trick after coming off the bench. Leroux has proven that she is a very efficient forward. As a a starter for the Boston Breakers of the National Women's Soccer League, she played in 19 games, scoring 11 goals last season. She makes such an impact when entering the game and it shouldn't matter whether she starts or enters the game late—she will find the back of the net.
3. Amy Rodriguez
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13CFhwfHbvw[embed]
For A-Rod, Morgan's injury couldn't have happened at a better time. She was out for most of 2013 due to pregnancy, and I think this tournament could be her way of getting back into Sermanni's starting lineup. She is more experienced than Hagen and Leroux, which I think will be her best asset. A-Rod has two Olympic medals (2008 and 2012) and has also competed in the 2011 Women’s World Cup. She also is very quick and scrappy in the penalty area. Coupled with her experience, I think Rodriguez has the attributes necessary to be a standout forward in the absence of Morgan.
Although missing Morgan will be a huge loss, one of the greatest attributes of the U.S. WNT is the depth of the squad. For Sermanni, it can be extremely hard to decide which players to call into camps or assign to rosters. In Morgan’s absence, I think Hagen, Leroux and Rodriguez will need to step up and enter that role next to Wambach that Morgan has filled so well. Although each player is different, each style compliments Wambach. It looks like the fate of the U.S. WNT in Portugal is in good hands.
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