USWNT's Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan miss out as Vlatko Andonovski names SheBelieves roster

U.S. women's national team coach Vlatko Andonovski has called up a squad that mixes youth and experience for this month's SheBelieves Cup, leaving out big names like Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan in favor of up-and-comers like Sophia Smith and Ashley Sanchez.

The 23-player squad announced on Thursday will compete in the USWNT's first games of 2022 when they face the Czech Republic, New Zealand and Iceland in the SheBelieves Cup from Feb. 17-20.

The games will be played at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, and Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

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The SheBelieves Cup roster mostly comprises players who had joined the USWNT in Texas for its annual January camp, which traditionally features more bubble players and up-and-comers.

The exceptions are midfielder Catarina Macario, who missed the camp to stay with Lyon as it faced rival Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe de France, and defender Becky Sauerbrunn, who missed the January camp due to a minor injury.

«We had a great camp in Austin and now we need to see this group of players in game environments against highly motivated opponents,» Andonovski said in a statement.

«Every player in the pool is focused on making the roster for World Cup and Olympic qualifying this summer, and every training session and especially every match is a means to that end for them, and for the coaching staff.»

Of the 23 players on the roster, 11 are players who have been on the fringes of the USWNT and have just 25 or fewer caps. Six players are in the single digits of caps.

Veterans left out include some of the USWNT's biggest attacking names, such as Rapinoe,