Via their website Friday, the NC Courage announced that five of their players are heading to the US Women’s National Team (USWNT) training and trio of January friendlies.
That in itself, it’s really surprising news for anyone that follows the Courage, the NWSL or the USWNT. The big news is it means that McCall Zerboni has recovered enough to train with the USWNT, and possibly compete in the two January 2019 friendlies.
January 2019 USWNT Action
Abby Dahlkemper, Crystal Dunn, Jessica McDonald, Samantha Mewis, and McCall Zerboni are all again joining the USWNT. The five Courage players were named to the 26-player roster for the January 2019 training camp. In a first, that training camp is being held in Europe — Portugal to be specific. The team will then travel to Le Havre, France prior to their January 19 match (2:30 p.m. ET on FS1)
The USWNT then faces Spain on January 22 (2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2 & UDN) in Alicante, Spain.
Zerboni’s Return
The training camp and pair of January friendlies also represent the first time Zerboni’s practiced with the squad since being injured in the opening minutes. Zerboni fractured her elbow versus the September 4, 2018, friendly match against Chile in San Jose, CA.
2017 was the first year Zerboni played with the USWNT, earning her first cap for the USWNT at the Courage’s home field, WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC.
If Zerboni ends up getting any playing time in the pair of friendlies, it will likely be in a substitute role. If that happens, expect her to use the time to both feel out the state of her injury, while simultaneously using the match(es) as a bit of redemption for not being able to finish out the 2018 Courage season where they ultimately secured the NWSL Shield and win the 2018 NWSL Championship.
