The coach of the women’s national soccer team, Francisco Neto, on Tuesday called up 23 players for the crucial matches against Serbia and Turkey to qualify for next year’s World Cup, which will be held in a partnership between Australia and New Zealand.
Highlighting the return of Ana Capita, who did not go to the European Championships in England, while Catarina Amado will be absent due to injury.
In Group H matches, third-placed Portugal will face Serbia on September 2, at Stara Pazova, and host Turkey four days later, on September 6, in Vesela.
Two days before the end of the European qualifiers with 9 groups, Portugal has 16 points, two points behind Serbia, in second place, while Germany leads with 21 points. Turkey (10 points), Israel (6) and Bulgaria (0) completed the group.
There are 11 places for European teams, nine for the group winners and two for the play-off.
Below is the list of candidates:
Goalkeepers: Ruti Costa (Benfica), Ines Pereira (Servette), Patricia Moraes (Braga).
Defenders: Alicia Correa (Sporting), Carol (Benfica), Diana Gomez (Braga), Joanna Marchao (Parma), Lucia Alves (Benfica), Silvia Rebelo (Benfica).
Midfielders: Andrea Norton (Benfica), Andrea Faria (Benfica), Dolores Silva (Braga), Fatma Pinto (Alaves), Kika Nazareth (Benfica), Tatiana Pinto (Levante), Vanessa Marquez (Braga).
Striker: Ana Borges (Sporting), Ana Capita (Sporting), Carolina Mendes (Braga), Diana Silva (Sporting), Jessica Silva (Benfica), Susan Perez (Feruvia) and Thelma Encarnação (Maritimo).
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