Heinrichs Shakes Up U.S. Roster

April Heinrichs continues to march to her own music.

Two days after losing her debut as coach of the U.S. women’s national team, 3-2, to Norway, Heinrichs on Tuesday named the roster for her second game--a closed-door contest against the same Norwegians today at Florida Atlantic University.

Notable by their absence are six starters from the 1999 Women’s World Cup-winning team: Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Kristine Lilly, Joy Fawcett, Brandi Chastain and Kate Sobrero.

In their place Heinrichs has included several World Cup veterans who were missing from her roster in the first game, notably Michelle Akers, Tisha Venturini, Sara Whalen and Lorrie Fair.

Still, the 18-player list features six teenagers, including forward Veronica Zepeda, 17, of Riverside, as Heinrichs tries to assess the next generation of players who will take over for the veterans after--and in some cases before--the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Norway, as a former world champion, offers the opportunity to test the youngsters against high-level competition.

“They continue to be a great team for us to compete against,” Heinrichs said of the Norwegians, who hold a 12-10-1 all-time advantage over the U.S. “We’ll see them several times this year. I like playing against Norway. They’re tough women and they’re tough to play against.”

Heinrichs has made it clear that no player’s position on the team is secure. A resume that includes two world championships and an Olympic gold medal is no guarantee of a place on the eventual 16-player Olympic roster.

“They [the Norwegians] are bringing in a lot of young players and so are we,” Hamm said. “This is an exciting time for both teams.”