USWNT SheBelieves Cup roster: Ajax sensation Lily Yohannes receives maiden senior call-up as Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario return
Image Credit: Getty
26 March 2024
Ajax starlet Lily Yohannes has been included in Twila Kilgore's United States women's team to feature at the upcoming SheBelieves Cup.
USWNT roster announced
Yohannes gets maiden call-up
Swanson and Macario return
WHAT HAPPENED?
Kilgore announced her 23-player roster for the upcoming tournament on Tuesday, which will take place on April 6 and 9 in Atlanta and Columbus, Ohio, respectively. Yohannes is included in that list to earn her first-ever senior call-up, while Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario return to the fold after their respective injury lay-offs.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Yohannes, an incredibly bright and talented teenager who has flourished in the Netherlands with Ajax, will not be cap-tied to the U.S. despite the call-up. The SheBelieves Cup is considered a friendly competition, meaning the fixtures will not secure her to the USA in the eyes of FIFA.
Meanwhile, the return of Macario and Swanson to the U.S. attack is a boost. The Chelsea forward has made five appearances for the Blues since returning from injury, gathering two assists and two goals across all competitions. In her limited time on the international stage, she scored eight goals in 17 appearances for the USA.
Swanson, meanwhile, has returned from injury after missing the 2023 FIFA World Cup for the USWNT due to a knee injury sustained last spring. She's made two appearances for the Chicago Red Stars in NWSL this season, helping lead them to successive victories. She has 32 career goals across 88 appearances for the U.S. dating back to 2015.
The U.S. are six-time winners of the tournament since its founding in 2016, falling short in only 2017 and 2019. It's a competition they are all-too familiar with, and high expectations are present as they look to earn their second piece of silverware in 2024 ahead of the Paris Olympic Games.
DID YOU KNOW?
Swanson was the USWNT's best player in the 2023 edition of the tournament, netting four goals across three matches to secure the U.S. another piece of silverware.
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WHAT NEXT FOR THE USWNT?
They will take on Japan on April 6 in the semifinals of the tournament, and with a victory, they will meet either Canada or Brazil in the finals. For Swanson, Macario and Yohannes, though, it's a chance to impress both Kilgore and incoming boss Emma Hayes ahead of the Paris Summer Olympics.
