Chioma Ubogagu earns first USWNT call-up for final series of year against Canada

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Oct 31, 2017

Chioma Ubogagu will be the latest forward to get a chance for the U.S. national team at outside back as the former U.S. U-20 was called up to the senior national team for the first time.

Jill Ellis' roster of 23 players for matches against Canada on Nov. 9 and Nov. 12 also includes Emily Sonnett, now playing on loan for Australia's Sydney FC for the NWSL offseason and called up for the first time in 13 months, and her Portland Thorns teammate, Adrianna Franch, the 2017 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year.

Tobin Heath and Taylor Smith, who missed the series against South Korea after both being injured in the NWSL championship game, both return for the final matches of 2017.

Ubogagu started her pro career in England, where she was born, at Arsenal but returned to play for the Houston Dash before moving this season to Orlando. She's only the latest player who's used a strong NWSL season to impress Ellis and earn a shot on the national team.

Jill Ellis: "To play Canada in Vancouver is another excellent challenge for our team. It's a great rivalry with some classic history and these two matches in the home-and-home series will cap an important year in our growth towards 2019. We've targeted and evaluated a lot of players this year and moving forward, I'm genuinely excited to keep building with the group we have now."

Farm team. Ubogagu is one of five current or former players who were called up for the series and play or played at Stanford along with Kelley O'Hara, Christen Press, Jane Campbell and Andi Sullivan.

U.S. Women's Roster:
GOALKEEPERS (4): Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns; 0/0), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 21/0), Jane Campbell (Houston Dash; 2/0), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride; 14/0).
DEFENDERS (8): Abby Dahlkemper (NC Courage; 11/0), Sofia Huerta (Chicago Red Stars; 3/0), Kelley O'Hara (Sky Blue FC; 102/2), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City; 133/0), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars; 17/0), Taylor Smith (NC Courage; 5/0), Emily Sonnett (Sydney FC/AUS; 12/0), Chioma Ubogagu (Orlando Pride; 0/0).
MIDFIELDERS (6): Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars; 55/13), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns 41/4), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash; 244/97), Allie Long (Portland Thorns; 32/6), Samantha Mewis (NC Courage; 32/7), Andi Sullivan (Stanford; 5/0).
FORWARDS (5): Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns; 132/18), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride; 132/78), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars; 94/44), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign; 127/34), Lynn Williams (NC Courage; 13/4).