U.S. Women Call On Reinforcements
World Cup ’99 veterans Michelle Akers, Carla Overbeck and Briana Scurry were recalled to the U.S. women’s team Friday for a five-game tour of Germany and Norway.
Coach April Heinrichs selected 20 players for what promises to be the toughest test of the year before the 2000 Olympics in Sydney for the defending gold medalists.
The American team will leave Wednesday for Germany, where it will play in a four-nation tournament celebrating the 100th anniversary of the German soccer federation (DFB).
The U.S. plays two of its Olympic first-round opponents--Norway on July 16 in Osnabruck and China on July 19 in Gottingen--as well as host and two-time defending European champion Germany on July 22 in Braunschweig.
After that, the Americans will play two games against 1995 world champion Norway, first on July 27 in Tromso and then on July 30 in Oslo. The Tromso match is unusual in that it will kick off at 10:30 p.m. local time, taking advantage of the “midnight sun” in a city about 115 miles north of the Arctic Circle.
Although the United States and Norway have played each other 25 times (with Norway holding the edge, 13-11-1), the games will be the first in which the teams have met in Norway.
Akers returns to the national team for the first time since shoulder surgery in March, and Overbeck is back after knee surgery. Scurry, whose starting goalkeeper spot has been taken by Siri Mullinix, returns after recovering from severe shin splints and will likely play in her 100th game for the national team.
The trip will also enable Mia Hamm to play her 200th game for the team, joining teammate Kristine Lilly as the only players in the world, male or female, to have that many international appearances.
The first two games of the tour will be shown by Fox Sports World on tape delay. The third and fifth games are on pay-per-view.
The 20-player roster is likely to be close, if not identical, to the Olympic roster that has to be named by Aug. 14.
Roster:
Goalkeepers--Siri Mullinix, Briana Scurry. Defenders--Brandi Chastain, Joy Fawcett, Carla Overbeck, Christie Pearce, Danielle Slaton, Kate Sobrero. Midfielders--Michelle Akers, Lorrie Fair, Julie Foudy, Kristine Lilly, Shannon MacMillan, Nikki Serlenga, Sara Whalen. Forwards--Susan Bush, Mia Hamm, Tiffeny Milbrett, Cindy Parlow, Christie Welsh.
