U.S. women

Rampone leads roster of 20 heading for China and Four Nations Tournament.

Less than four months after giving birth to her first child, Christie Rampone is back with the U.S. women, heading to China for the Four Nations Tournament. -- U.S. Soccer web site photo --

(Tuesday, January 10, 2006) -- The United States women departed for China today to compete in the prestigious Four Nations Tournament in Guangzhou.

The 20 players chosen to the roster yesterday by coach Greg Ryan for the event included veteran defender Christie Rampone, who attended her first training camp this past week since having a baby girl Rylie on September 29.

"It's been an adjustment, but I feel great," Rampone told the U.S. Soccer Federation web site. "Not playing a game in over a year, it's always going to be tough to come back, but physically and mentally I feel good. It's just a matter of getting back and comfortable with the team on the field."

Rampone, 30, started on the defensive flank in the 2004 Summer Olympics where the U.S. captured the gold medal. Other Olympians making this trip to China are midfielders Shannon Boxx, who recently finished third in the 2005 "FIFA World Player of the Year" voting, Kristine Lilly, Aly Wagner and Lindsay Tarpley; strikers, Abby Wambach, Christie Welsh, and Heather O'Reilly; and defender Heather Mitts.

The leading scorers last year for the U.S. women, who went 8-0-1 and did not allow a goal in 2005, were Welsh, with seven goals, and Wambach with four goals and five assists. Wagner tied Wambach for the team lead with five assists.

Forward Danielle Fotopoulos, who was second with Wambach with four goals in 2005, was invited to the training camp that started last Tuesday at Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., but she was not selected to the trip to China. Striker Tiffeny Milbrett, who is one of six women in the world to have 100 career international goals, also attended camp, but was not chosen for this trip.

The U.S. opens the Four Nations Tournament round-robin event against Norway January 18, followed by matches against France January 20 and China January 22.

Lilly, the team captain, is expected to extend her world record for international appearances for men and women to 300 in the match against Norway. Lilly was 16 when she earned her first cap in a 2-0 victory over host China on August 3, 1987.

Forwards (4): Heather O'Reilly (East Brunswick, N.J.), India Trotter (Plantation, Fla.), Abby Wambach (Rochester, N.Y.), Christie Welsh (Massapequa Park, N.Y).

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