USWNT Allocations confirmed; AD Franch is among them

Update 4/5/2019: The official allocation list came out today confirming the below report. Christine Sinclaire also remains on the allocated player list for the Canadian WNT.

The Equalizer leaked the USSF allocations a little ahead of the official release, but with the news in them, we don’t mind.

Tobin Heath, Lindsay Horan and Emily Sonnett return as allocated players for the Portland Thorns but they’re joined this year by a new face; Adrianna Franch, fresh off getting her first ever USWNT cap, will be a US Allocated player for 2019.

It’s fantastic news for the goalkeeper, who has been around USWNT camps since 2012, to finally be getting some official recognition for her efforts, along with the salary that regular USWNT members receive. Franch has been on quite the journey to get where she is today, from serious injury while playing for the Western New York Flash to a spell abroad. Since joining the Thorns in 2016 she’s been lights out in net, earning two straight NWSL goalkeeper of the year awards in the past two seasons, and it’s been great to see US Soccer finally take notice.

Franch made her first USWNT appearance against England in the She Believes Cup on Saturday where she unfortunately picked up a backpass resulting in England’s first goal, but despite this showed off her range of distribution and claimed a few crosses well. Hopefully Franch will be able to get to make a few more appearances prior to the World Cup and get settled into performing at her best in the new environment.

The full allocation list can also be found on Stars and Stripes FC.