Why Are USWNT Stars Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Tobin Heath Not Playing Against Uzbekistan?

Published 04/10/2022, 9:30 AM EDT

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Alex Morgan is the star striker of the USWNT. However, fans were surprised when they did not spot her with the team in Uzbekistan. The entire team is playing against the Uzbekistan national soccer team, however not Alex Morgan.

Morgan is a former captain of the USWNT. She co-captained the team along with Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe. Morgan was also one of the women to be named the US Soccer Female Athlete of the Year. She had made immense contributions to the team and is considered one of the most experienced soccer players.

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However, there is a legit reason for Morgan not being there in Uzbekistan. And the decision involves the future USWNT players.

The reason behind Alex Morgan’s absence in Uzbekistan

Notably, the match against Uzbekistan is a friendly match. This match is not an official FIFA match. Moreover, the team is being coached by Vlato Andonovski, who actually is not qualified to recruit Morgan into the team. These are two main reasons that Alex is skipping the series in Uzbekistan.

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However, another important thing to consider here is that the USWNT is looking to bring in more young talents to the team. They are recruiting young soccer players to ensure the future of the US team.

Therefore, the Stars and Stripes squad is being represented in Uzbekistan by a team of young enthusiasts. Notably, the new team is performing quite well and living up to the mark of USWNT.

Five rookies are under the age of 25. The average age of the team is now 26.8 years. The team is going through a generational change as many of the experienced players are looking toward possible retirement. It was just last year that Carli Lloyd retired.

Not only Alex Morgan but in fact, Megan Rapinoe and Tobin Heath are also not playing in Uzbekistan. These friendly matches are a great opportunity for the young soccer players to show that they deserve a spot on the team.

Alex Morgan scores!

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Notably, the last time Alex Morgan scored two or more goals was in September 2021. Therefore, the crowd at San Diego was overjoyed when Morgan scored for the San Diego Wave FC.

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Although her initial stint with the club was not so successful, Morgan was quick o get back up and assert her dominance. Alex’s two goals helped the San Diego FC beat their rivals Angel City FC by a lead of 2 goals.

WATCH THIS STORY: USWNT Star Alex Morgan Scores First Goal for San Diego Wave

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Written by:

Richa Goswami

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Richa Goswami is a US Sports writer at EssentiallySports. As an adherent learner, she uses her journalistic persona to navigate through new skills. Richa has completed her schooling at Don Bosco.
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Edited by:

Vibhanshu Kumar