Mallory Pugh will miss the final game of the series against Korea Republic on Sunday due to a hamstring injury sustained in the game on Thursday. Pugh’s injury took place during a 3-1 win over the Korean Republic team on Thursday night in New Orleans.
There is no word on the extent of Pugh’s injury from U.S. Soccer.
Also heading home is Andi Sullivan, who will be joining her Stanford University teammates for their weekend game against Oregon State. Sullivan started the game in New Orleans and earned her fifth cap the United States Women’s National Team.
To help fill the gap left by Pugh and Sullivan, Jill Ellis called up North Carolina Courage midfielder McCall Zerboni for her first ever cap with the National Team. Zerboni’s last time in a uniform for the United States was a call-up with the U17WYNT in 2003. Zerboni, 30 is one of a select few players to be called up to the USWNT at the age of 30 or above.
Zerboni had a standout year with the league runner-up making her way onto the NWSL Best XI. The 2017 NWSL Championship was her sixth one since 2009. In 2016 she helped the Western New York Flash win the 2016 title before the team moved south. Zerboni has played for three clubs in the Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) and four clubs in the NWSL. She has been a standout player on the club level for almost a decade.
The game on Sunday will see Zerboni joining forces with her North Carolina Courage teammate and fellow midfielder Samantha Mewis. She will also join her teammate’s defender Abby Dahlkemper and forward Lynn Williams. This will be a home match of sorts for the teammates as they will be playing on their home field at Sahlen’s Stadium in Cary, North Carolina.