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National team news: Hagen, Smyth, Sesselmann off to Portugal, Cyprus

02/25/2014, 7:15am CST
By ERIC ANDERSON
Sarah Hagen

Will the third time be the charm for Sarah Hagen (Appleton North/UW-Milwaukee)?

The Bayern Munich striker was named to the U.S. women's national team's 24-player travel roster for the Algarve Cup, which starts March 5 in Portugal. Coach Tom Sermanni will have to cut one player to meet the tournament's 23-player roster limit.

It's the third national team call-up for the 24-year-old Hagen, who is tied for third in Germany's Frauen-Bundesliga with seven goals in 11 matches this season, but she hasn't yet earned an international cap or been selected for a game-day roster.

The Americans' Group B opener at the tournament, against Japan on March 5 in Parchal could be interesting – the U.S. is unbeaten in its past 42 matches (36-0-6), a streak dating to a 1-0 loss to Japan at the Algarve Cup on the same date in 2012.

The U.S. also will face Sweden on March 7 and Denmark on March 10 with both games in Albufeira, before a placement match on March 12. The Americans have won the Algarve Cup a record nine times, including a 2-0 victory over Germany in the final last year.

Hagen shouldn't miss any club matches while she is with the national team: Bayern Munich resumed its season after a winter break with a 2-1 loss to 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam on Sunday and plays host to VfL Wolfsburg on Wednesday, then is off until March 16. While most of the U.S. squad will leave for Portugal today, Hagen will be one of five players to join the team later – she's expected in camp on Sunday.

On Twitter: @sarahapplehagen

  • Amazon Grimstad midfielder Shannon Smyth (Mequon/Milwaukee DSHA) will return to the Republic of Ireland national team for the Cyprus Cup, which also kicks off March 5. Smyth missed the team's trip to Spain last month because she was taking coaching courses. The Irish, who resume 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying in April, open Group C play against New Zealand, then face South Korea on March 7 and Switzerland on March 10 before a placement match on March 12. Smyth scored her first international goal at the tournament last year as the Republic won its group, then lost to Finland 1-0 in the seventh-place match. On Twitter: @ShannonSmyth
  • Defender Lauren Sesselmann (Green Bay Notre Dame) and Canada also will return to the Cyprus Cup. The Canadians have advanced to all six finals at the tournament on the island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, winning titles in 2008, '10 and '11 – they lost to France 2-0 in the 2012 final and fell to England 1-0 last year. Canada faces Finland in its Group A opener March 5, followed by matches against Italy on March 7 and England on March 10. On Twitter: @lsesselmann

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