CHICAGO (AP) - The U.S. women’s national team has called up 16-year-old Sophia Smith as an injury replacement on Jill Ellis’ roster.
Smith was set to join the team Friday ahead of two upcoming exhibition matches against Russia on April 6 and 9, both in Texas. A high school junior from Windsor, Colorado, Smith left the Americans’ Under-23 squad in Portland, Oregon.
The Americans are down midfielders Morgan Brian (knee), Lindsey Horan (hip) and Tobin Heath (back), all forced to pull out of the training camp.
Smith was recently in Europe for stints with both the US U-18 and U-20 teams, scoring five goals in three games for the U-18 group in England to earn a spot on the U-20 team. Playing in Spain, she scored four goals in three matches during that call-up.
She is both club teammates and attends school in Colorado with 17-year-old Jaelin Howell, picked by Ellis to replace Horan on March 29.
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