Lilly heads U.S. team for her fifth World Cup
Kristine Lilly remembers little about the selection of the first U.S. Women’s World Cup team in 1991, probably because the announcement didn’t make much of a splash.
She marveled at the increase in interest in the event as she participated in a conference call Wednesday, after Coach Greg Ryan picked the first 18 players for this year’s squad.
When the World Cup begins in China in two months, Lilly, 35, will be participating for a record fifth time. She will be joined by at least 10 players making their World Cup debuts, the most for a U.S. squad since 1991, when everyone was a first-timer.
“I didn’t really know what I was a part of,” Lilly said of the inaugural event. “I knew it was the World Cup, but I didn’t know what it meant.
“After winning and being a part of it, I knew it was something we needed to share.”
Ryan expects to make the final three selections to fill out the 21-player roster in the next few weeks. He said he wanted to get the initial picks out of the way.
“There’s always stress about whether you’ll make the team,” Ryan said. “ ... It’s clear these 18 players are very deserving.”
Briana Scurry will be in goal for her fourth World Cup. Defenders Kate Markgraf and Christie Rampone made their third World Cup teams, and defender Cat Whitehill, midfielders Shannon Boxx and Aly Wagner and forward Abby Wambach are playing for the second time.
The rookies are goalkeepers Nicole Barnhart and Hope Solo; defenders Tina Ellertson and Stephanie Lopez; midfielders Lori Chalupny, Marci Jobson, Carli Lloyd and Leslie Osborne; and forwards Heather O’Reilly and Lindsay Tarpley.
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Women’s roster
The roster for the U.S. women’s national soccer team for the 2007 World Cup in China in September (Note: three roster spots remain to be filled):
*--* Player Hgt. Age Caps/G GOALKEEPERS Nicole Barnhart 5-10 25 3/0 Briana Scurry 5-8 35 162/0 Hope Solo 5-9 25 44/0 DEFENDERS Tina Ellertson 5-9 25 22/0 Stephanie Lopez 5-6 21 20/0 Kate Markgraf 5-7 30 159/0 Christie Rampone 5-6 32 164/4 Cat Whitehill 5-5 25 110/11 MIDFIELDERS Shannon Boxx 5-8 30 66/14 Lori Chalupny 5-4 23 40/4 Marci Jobson 5-7 31 14/0 Carli Lloyd 5-8 24 32/5 Leslie Osborne 5-8 24 40/2 Aly Wagner 5-5 26 112/21 FORWARDS Kristine Lilly 5-4 35 327/123 Heather O’Reilly 5-5 22 61/10 Lindsay Tarpley 5-6 23 69/15 Abby Wambach 5-11 27 92/74
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Source: ussoccer.com
