Good morning! A day after USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter named his squad for training ahead of the Copa America, new USWNT coach Emma Hayes named her first roster. Berhalter has plenty of leeway as Copa America rosters have been expanded from 23 to 26 players. Hayes’ priority this summer will be the Paris Olympics, where rosters for both the men’s and women’s soccer competitions are limited to … 18 players.
Soccer America Daily is edited by Paul Kennedy and Mike Woitalla.
USWNT
Emma Hayes names her first roster
New USWNT coach Emma Hayes has named 23 players to her first roster for matches against South Korea on June 1 and 4.
The squad includes almost all the players expected to contend for the 18 spots on the roster for the Paris Olympics.
The San Diego Wave’s Alex Morgan, Naomi Girma and new teen star Jaedyn Shaw and Gotham FC’s Tierna Davidson and Rose Lavelle were all included after battling injuries this spring.
The most notable absentee: injured goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who starred in leading the USWNT to recent titles at the Concacaf W Gold Cup and SheBelieves Cup.
• New positions: Of note, Crystal Dunn has been listed as a forward and Emily Sonnett as a defender.
A pair of NWSL players, both Clemson products, earned their first call-ups: 27-year-old Chicago Red Stars defender Sam Staab (photo) and 21-year-old Washington Spirit midfielder Hal Hershfelt.
Staab, who spent her first five NWSL seasons with the Spirit, just set an NWSL record with her 100th consecutive regular-season start. Hershfelt, the fifth pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft, earned her first national team call-up at any age level.
U.S. OPEN CUP
Sac Republic FC does it again
The USL Championship’s Sac Republic FC is headed to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals after it stunned MLS’s San Jose Earthquakes 4-3 with two goals 89 seconds apart at the start of the second overtime period.
Two years ago, Republic FC also beat the Quakes in the round of 16 en route to the Open Cup final with three straight wins over MLS teams.
Things did not look good for Republic FC after San Jose, last in MLS’s Western Conference standings, brought on Argentine Designated Players Cristian Espinoza and Hernán López and Espinoza scored to tie the game and López put the Quakes ahead in overtime.
But Republic FC, unbeaten in 12 games, rallied to win on goals by 2022 Open Cup star Luis Felipe and Sebastian Herrera.
The Charleston Battery, the USL Championship’s other unbeaten team, wasn’t as fortunate, falling in a shootout to Atlanta United, winless in its last eight MLS games, after their match ended 0-0 after 120 minutes.
Goalkeeper Josh Cohen saved Charleston’s final two attempts by Diego Gutierrez (with a chance to win the game) and Aaron Molloy (in the sixth round).
Results: U.S. Open Cup round of 16:
NYCFC II 0 New Mexico United 3. (Goal: Flanagan 50, Maples 65, Herbert 86.)
Sporting KC 4 FC Tulsa 0. (Goals: Hernandez 37, 63, Afrifa 45+2, Tzionis 65. Att.: 10,088.)
Charleston Battery 0 Atlanta United 0.
(Atlanta United wins 5-4 on penalties.)
Sac Republic FC 4 San Jose Earthquakes 3. (Goals: Phillips 17, 38, Luis Felipe 106, Herrera 107; Judd 11, Espinoza 80, Lopez 100.)
LAFC 3 Loudoun United 0. (Goals: Tillman 8, Olivera 52, Ángel 61.)
MLS
Austin FC buys out DP Emiliano Rigoni’s contract
Austin FC bought out the guaranteed contract on underperforming Argentine winger Emiliano Rigoni (6 goals, 6 assists in 51 games), freeing a Designated Player slot and clearing space on the team’s salary budget.
The Athletic’s Tom Bogert reported that Rigoni’s contract for 2025 would have been auto-triggered if he made one more appearance in 2024.
FC Cincinnati signs teen star Stefan Chirila
FC Cincinnati signed 17-year-old forward Stefan Chirila to a MLS Next Pro contract for 2024 and will add him to its first-team roster in 2025 as an MLS Homegrown Player.
Chirila shined in the FC Cincinnati Academy system, scoring 41 goals across all youth competitions during the 2023-24 season and winning the Golden Ball as the top scorer for the FCC U-17s at the 2024 Generation adidas Cup.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: JESSE MARSCH
“I had someone ask, does the three MLS owners coming together [to fund the salary] mean they’re going to dictate squad selection? I was like: ‘Come on man! Don’t be foolish.’ No coach would take a position with that kind of stipulation. I think what it shows actually is there is unity behind my appointment and the fact that people in [Canada] who are in leadership positions were really motivated to get this done, it motivated me.”
— Jesse Marsch on his official designation as MLS Canada Men’s National Team Head Coach after the owners of Canada’s three MLS teams — CF Montreal, Toronto FC and Vancouver – agreed to cover his salary. Canada Soccer is operating at a $4 million deficit in 2024. (The Guardian)
SOCCER MEDIA WATCH
Andrés Cantor wins sixth Sports Emmy
Andrés Cantor won his sixth Sports Emmy for outstanding on-air personality in Spanish at ceremonies organized by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Cantor’s work for Telemundo Deportes in 2023 included calling the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Telemundo Deportes earned a Sports Emmy for its Women’s World Cup studio show.
English FA Cup remains on ESPN+
ESPN has retained media rights to the English FA Cup for the next four seasons, 2024-25 through 2027-28.
ESPN+ will be the exclusive home of 79 FA Cup matches each season. The agreement includes the preseason FA Community Shield.
ON THE MOVE: YOUTH SOCCER
• Cal South names Jeff Dyrek CEO. Dyrek has many years of experience in sports governance with stints at USA Triathlon, USA Water Polo and USA Badminton. He previously worked at Cal South as its director of tournaments and competition.
• Devon McFadden joins NY State West Youth as executive director. McFadden set six school records in swimming at St. Bonaventure and served as the swim team head coach for three years at Division III Juniata.
EURO 2024
Marcus Rashford left out of England’s squad
Marcus Rashford paid for his poor season as the Manchester United forward was left out of England boss Gareth Southgate‘s provisional 33-man squad for Euro 2024.
Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, who fired Manchester City to the Premier League title on Sunday, and Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka are included as part of a fearsome collection of creative talent to supply England’s all-time top goalscorer, Harry Kane.
• Trivia: England is eyeing its first major title since it won the 1966 World Cup it hosted, a span of 58 years.
Cristiano Ronaldo poised for Euro record as Portugal roster
Cristiano Ronaldo is likely to set a European Championship record after he was named in Portugal’s 26-man squad.
The 39-year-old Ronaldo already holds the men’s world record for caps (206) and international goals (128). He will be appearing in his 11th major international tournament and in Germany can become the first player to appear in six European Championships.
• 2023-24 Cristian Ronaldo stats: Portugal, 9 games, 10 goals; Al Nassr 42 games, 42 goals.
• SA Reading: Euro 2024: Only captains will speak to refs (Ian Plenderleith)
WEDNESDAY MORNING: WHAT WE’RE READING
1. Wilmer Cabrera ready for head coaching opportunity with El Paso Locomotive FC By Sam Guzman (ktsm.com)
2. Minnesota Aurora putting together another NWSL expansion bid By Andy Greder (Pioneer Press)
3. St. Pauli back in the Bundesliga and set to grab attention By Felix Tamsut (DW.com)