Lloyd leads U.S. roster for 2011 World Cup

Delran's Carli Lloyd was named Monday to the 21-player United States roster for this summer's soccer Women's World Cup.

Also among the selections by coach Pia Sundhage were four members of the Independence: goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart (a Boyertown High graduate), midfielders Lori Lindsey and Megan Rapinoe, and forward Amy Rodriguez.

A midfielder who plays for the Atlanta Heat of Women's Professional Soccer, the 28-year-old Lloyd leads the U.S. team in scoring this year with five goals and has scored 27 times internationally.

She was the hero of the 2008 Olympics when she scored the winning goal in an overtime victory over Brazil that clinched the gold medal for the United States.

Alex Morgan is the youngest player on the squad at 21, while Christie Rampone is the oldest at 35. It is the first U.S. Women's World Cup roster made up entirely of professional players.

"We went to China for the Olympics in 2008 with Christie Rampone as our captain, and the way she is stepping up and the way she handles herself on and off the field, she is the best captain I've ever worked with or played with or been around," Sundhage said.

The roster includes veterans Hope Solo, Heather Mitts, and Abby Wambach.

"I will do everything I can to make sure we will be standing on top of the podium," Wambach said. "It will be the most difficult championship to win, World Cup or Olympics, and I am excited to get started. We always fight - we are a resilient team."

The Women's World Cup will be played June 26 to July 17 at nine sites in Germany. The top-seeded Americans will be seeking their third World Cup title and first since 1999 when they begin play June 28 against North Korea in Dresden. The U.S. team also faces Colombia on July 2 and Sweden on July 6 in group play.

The Americans finished a three-week training camp in Florida on Friday and will arrive in Columbus, Ohio, on Monday to begin training for a two-game series against fellow Women's World Cup qualifier Japan on May 14 at Columbus Crew Stadium and May 18 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.

The U.S. team will play a World Cup send-off match on June 5 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. The Americans will leave for Austria in mid-June for training camp.

Goalkeepers (3): Nicole Barnhart (Independence)**; Jill Loyden (magicJack)*; Hope Solo (magicJack)**

Defenders (7): Rachel Buehler (Boston Breakers)*; Stephanie Cox (Boston Breakers)**; Ali Krieger (out of contract)*; Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers)*; Heather Mitts (Atlanta Beat)*; Christie Rampone (magicJack)****; Becky Sauerbrunn (magicJack)*

Midfielders (7): Shannon Boxx (magicJack)***; Tobin Heath (Sky Blue FC)*; Lori Lindsey (Independence)*; Carli Lloyd (Atlanta Beat)**; Heather O'Reilly (Sky Blue FC)**; Megan Rapinoe (Independence)*; Lindsay Tarpley (magicJack)**

Forwards (4): Lauren Cheney (Boston Breakers)*; Alex Morgan (Western New York Flash)*; Amy Rodriguez (Independence)*; Abby Wambach (magicJack)***

* First Women's World Cup

** Second Women's World Cup

*** Third Women's World Cup

**** Fourth Women's World Cup