Watch USWNT vs South Africa friendly with Rapinoe, Ertz to retire

21.09.2023, 18:58 sportingnews.com

Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz will wave goodbye to their storied international careers as two of the most important USWNT players of the last decade earn their final caps on Thursday in a friendly against 45th-ranked South Africa in Cincinnati.

With those final chapters also come new beginnings, as Twila Kilgore leads the USWNT as interim head coach for the first time, closing the book on the disappointing Vlatko Andonovski era and leading the United States into the uncertain 2027 World Cup cycle.

Three uncapped players appear on the USA roster, including exciting 22-year-old forward Mia Fishel, who recently signed for Chelsea and has had to wait for her first senior call-up after proving vitally important to the USWNT youth squad for years.

Still, the story on Thursday will be about Rapinoe and Ertz, who will leave a gaping hole on and off the field with their departures. Ertz told the media prior to the match that she is happy to leave on her own terms to spend time with her family. "It's not that mama can't play... mama can play," Ertz said, adding that she's "adapted priorities."

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This international friendly at TQL Stadium kicks off on Thursday, September 21 at 6:30 p.m. local time in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:

With this match serving as the retirement send-off for Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz, you can be sure those two will be the first names on Kilgore's team sheet when drawing up her starting XI. When those two depart, the USWNT will lose a combined 324 international caps between them.

Kilgore will also likely name a strong lineup for this match to help give the USWNT the best chance of winning in the final match of those two storied players. Alex Morgan should start up front, while Lindsey Horan is likely to be deployed in the middle.

Rose Lavelle and Kelley O'Hara were withdrawn from the roster due to injury, replaced by Midge Purce and uncapped Ma Vignola. Also out injured is Sophia Smith, who has a mild MCL sprain, while Mal Swanson remains in the midst of her patella tendon recovery and Catarina Macario still hasn't returned to the field from her ACL tear last year.

USA projected starting lineup (4-3-3): Naeher (GK) — Fox, Girma, Cook, Dunn — Horan, Ertz, DeMelo — Thompson, Morgan, Rapinoe.

South Africa were part of the African surge at this summer's Women's World Cup, reaching the Round of 16 before being eliminated by the Netherlands. Most of the backbone of that squad returns for action here, led by captain Thembi Kgatlana, who plays in the NWSL for Racing Louisville.

This is an extremely experienced side featuring six players with more than 60 international caps, led by defender Noko Matlou, who has a whopping 168 appearances and 66 goals and plays her club football for Eibar in the Spanish top flight.

Uncapped midfielder Sinoxolo Cesane hails from the NCAA ranks, becoming the first East Tennessee State player to face off against the USWNT. Her twin sister, Noxolo Cesane, who plays for Tigres in Mexico, is also on the roster.

South Africa projected starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Swart (GK) — Ramalepe, Gamede, Matlou, Dhlamini — Moodaly, Biyana — Seoposenwe, Motlhalo, Magaia — Kgatlana.