USWNT vs. China PR: Starting XI & Lineup Notes

USWNT vs. China PR – International Friendly
Date: December 2, 2023
Venue: DRV PNK Stadium; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.   
Broadcast: TNT, Max, Telemundo, Universo, Peacock
Radio: FDP Radio
Official Kickoff Time: 3:07 p.m. ET

Starting XI vs. China PR: 1-Casey Murphy; 2-Abby Dahlkemper, 8-Trinity Rodman, 10-Lindsey Horan (Capt.), 11-Sophia Smith, 14-Emily Sonnett, 15-Naomi Girma, 16-Rose Lavelle, 20-Casey Krueger, 22-Savannah DeMelo, 23-Emily Fox

Available Subs: 4-Sam Coffey, 5-Alana Cook, 6-Lynn Williams, 9-Midge Purce, 12-Tierna Davidson, 13-Jenna Nighswonger, 17-Alyssa Thompson, 19-Mia Fishel, 21-Jane Campbell, 25-Olivia Moultrie, 26-Jaedyn Shaw, 27-Korbin Albert

Not dressing: Ashley Hatch, Aubrey Kingsbury, M.A. Vignola

GAME NOTES | FIVE THINGS TO KNOW            

• USWNT Starting XI Cap Numbers (Including this match): Horan (138), Lavelle (92), Sonnett (82), Dahlkemper (80), Krueger (42), Fox (38), Smith (37), Rodman (27), Girma (25), Murphy (17), DeMelo (7)

• Saturday’s starting lineup that will take on China averages 27 years of age and 52 caps per player. 

• Lindsey Horan will make her team-leading 16^th start of 2023 as she captains the USA for the ninth time this year and the 17^th overall in her career. Horan made her international debut 10 years ago against China at the 2013 Algarve Cup and is now set to earn her 138^th cap, taking sole possession of 26^th on the USWNT’s all-time cap charts.

• Casey Murphy will make her sixth start of the year as she earns her 17^th cap for the USWNT. Murphy has recorded a shutout in each of her previous five appearances this year recorded her 12^th career clean sheet in the USA’s Oct. 29 win over Colombia in San Diego. Her next clean sheet will move Murphy into a tie with Mary Harvey and Saskia Webber for sixth on the USWNT’s all-time shutout list.

• After undergoing major back surgery in November of 2022, Abby Dahlkemper will make her first appearance for the USWNT in 599 days, returning to the field for her country for the first time since April 12, 2022. Dahlkemper will earn her 80^th cap for the USWNT – becoming the 50^th player in USWNT history to make 80 or more international appearances – as she makes her 71^st career start.

• The only player to appear in every match for the USA so far in 2023, Trinity Rodman will make her team-leading 17^th appearance and 11^th start of the year. This will be the sixth consecutive start for Rodman, who is tied for the team lead with seven goal involvements in 2023 with four goals and three assists on the year.

• Sophia Smith will make her second consecutive start for the USWNT in what will be her 10^th appearance in 2023 and her 37^th cap overall. Smith, who led the USA in scoring in 2022 and was the 2023 NWSL Golden Boot winner with Portland Thorns FC, has 13 goals in her last 23 caps – including two this year - after scoring just once in her first 13 international appearances.

• Emily Sonnett will earn her 82^nd cap for the USWNT as she makes her sixth consecutive start. Sonnett has started every match for the USWNT in midfield beginning with the World Cup Round of 16 matchup against Sweden, scored her second career goal in the USA’s September 24 win over South Africa and tallied an assist on Mia Fishel’s goal against San Diego her last time out.

• Naomi Girma will make her 10^th consecutive start for the USWNT, extending the longest such streak of her international career, as she earns her 25^th cap. The 2022 NWSL Rookie of the Year and two-time reigning NWSL Defender of the Year, Girma will be making her 15^th appearance of 2023 and has been a mainstay on a backline that has allowed just two goals total this year.

• Rose Lavelle will see her first action for the USWNT since August 1 when she played the full 90 minutes in the USA’s final match of the 2023 World Cup group stage vs Portugal. Lavelle will be earning her 92^nd cap as she makes her sixth start and eighth appearance overall of 2023. Despite her limited appearances for the USA in 2023, Lavelle is second on the team with four assists and is third with six total goal involvements (two goals and four assists).

• Defender Casey Krueger will make her second start of the year and the 26^th of her career as she earns her 42^nd cap for the USWNT. Krueger has played in three of the USA’s four fall friendlies, coming on as a second half substitute on September 21 against South Africa, getting the start in the USA’s September 24 victory over Banyana Banyana and subbing on in the Oct. 26 matchup against Colombia.

• Savannah DeMelo will make her second consecutive start as she earns her seventh cap for the USWNT. DeMelo made back-to-back starts for the USA during the 2023 World Cup in the group stage matches against Vietnam and the Netherlands, and then got the starting nod again in the USA’s Oct. 29 victory over San Diego. Uncapped when she was named to the World Cup roster in June, DeMelo was the first player to debut for the USA in 2023, earning her first cap in the USA’s Send-Off Match against Wales on July 9.

• Emily Fox will make her 14^th start and 16^th appearance overall this year as she earns her 38^th cap for the USWNT. Fox is currently second on the team with 1,236 minutes played in 2023 and tallied her first assist of the year – and the second of her international career – on Lindsey Horan’s goal against Colombia on Oct. 29.