Megan Rapinoe was among the players named by U.S. Womens National Team coach Jill Ellis on Thursday to compete in a pair of friendlies against Thailand on Sept. 15 at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, Ohio (8 p.m. ET on ESPN2) and on Sept. 18 against the Netherlands (7 p.m. ET on FS1) at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.On Sunday before a match with her Seattle Reign team in the National Womens Soccer League, Rapinoe knelt during the anthem in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick -- the San Francisco quarterback who has refused to stand during the anthem to protest racial injustice and minority oppression. She said at the time she planned to continue to kneel.Wednesday night, the Washington Spirit prevented Rapinoe from kneeling during the national anthem by altering its pregame ceremonies rather than subject our fans and friends to the disrespect we feel such an act would represent.The full roster:GOALKEEPERS (2): Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)DEFENDERS (7): Whitney Engen (Boston Breakers), Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars), Meghan Klingenberg (Portland Thorns FC), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), Kelley OHara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC)MIDFIELDERS (8): Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Samantha Mewis (Western New York Flash), Heather OReilly (FC Kansas City), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC)FORWARDS (4): Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Mallory Pugh (Real Colorado) The USA has never played Thailand before so this will be the 50th different country the WNT has faced in its history. The meeting against the Netherlands will be the seventh between the two nations.A free and open to the public training session will take place before each game - more info. Both games will be played on natural grass (a natural grass surface will be installed for the match at the Georgia Dome).The USA vs. Thailand match will have added significance as it will also be the final game for U.S. veteran Heather OReilly who last week announced her retirement from international soccer. OReilly will be honored pre-game and will captain the USA.Mens Nike Tanjun Clearance . Barcelona also left injured defenders Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba out of its squad for the trip to Glasgow. That means that Marc Bartra will probably start again in the centre of the defence alongside Gerard Pique. Buy Nike Tanjun . Brazilian national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that the veteran goalkeeper is set to join Toronto on loan, saying it will help him be ready for the World Cup. http://www.clearanceniketanjun.com/ . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. Wholesale Nike Tanjun . - Oakland Raiders running back Rashad Jennings was speaking to a group of local high school students earlier this week when the conversation turned to the importance of being prepared when opportunities in life arise. Nike Tanjun Clearance .C. - The Carolina Hurricanes have placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury.RIO DE JANEIRO -- So stung by a devastating defeat to Brazil in the championship match of the London Games four years ago, silver medalists Foluke Akinradewo and Jordan Larson contemplated walking away for good from the U.S. national team and skipping another Olympic cycle.One by one, something slowly pulled each woman back to join new coach Karch Kiraly and support his plan for Rio de Janeiro.I took the summer off for the most part to re-evaluate and make sure I still loved the game, and I did, so I came back, Akinradewo said, and Im really happy I did.Despite the deep sense of hurt after failing as the undeniable favorites, she and Larson knew one thing: They had to go for it again and chase that gold medal they knew was oh-so-close before calling it a career.And everybody involved realizes how much these two mean for the top-ranked and unbeaten Americans (6-0) in Brazil. They helped lead the U.S. one step closer to the goal and reach Thursdays Olympic semifinals with a straight-set victory against Japan on Tuesday. The Americans will play Serbia, which beat Russia later Tuesday.Thats awesome, thats been our goal, said Akinradewo, who provided the winning kill on match point to cap the 25-16, 25-23, 25-22 victory. Thats why were here.The hard-hitting, high-flying Akinradewo is a menacing force at the net -- She gets kills in her sleep, teammate Kim Hill said. The businesslike, reliable Larson is a steady presence in the lineup match after match.Theyre a part of building and laying the foundation for the culture that weve created, captain Christa Dietzen said.By late summer of 2013, Akinradewo had undergone shoulder surgery and would stop by the teams Orange County headquarters about once a week to check in, work out and just say hello. Larson, too, by then had decided to give it another chance, eager to follow Kiralys lead.That part was easy.I was pretty sad with how London ended and just whether I wanted to continue myy career at all.dddddddddddd Thats where I was at and I liked what Karch was doing and what the girls were trying to do, Larson recalled. I really wanted to be a part of that. I thought it was going to be a cool thing.Akinradewo is 28 and Larson 29. Both have aspirations beyond volleyball. Yet those goals can wait for at least another week.I love that our players are just all in giving it another shot here, Kiraly said. Ultimately they have to make their own decisions, so Jordan went through a process of pondering, mulling and weighing the options to play more and Foluke, too. Shes just gnarly. Shes like a thoroughbred, shes just such an unbelievable jumper and the quickness and the explosiveness that she has.Aside from her pure athleticism, Akinradewos playful nature has been a positive. She has a signature move shell break into every so often called the calf dance, including obliging teammate and setter Courtney Thompson on the 94th day counting down to Rio by taping a 9 on one leg and 4 on the other. Akinradewo does it to show them off when shes not self-conscious about her lower legs, Kiraly said.Those two, I cant say enough good things. It gives me chills thinking about it, Thompson said. They get their team going. Theres no better two that lead by example than Jordan and Foluke. Those two have a really powerful energy, and they set the tone.Akinradewo, a former Stanford star, is thankful she decided to stick with it. She knows now that it would have been a mistake to walk away from this tight-knit group.If I would have retired from volleyball I would have been missing out on some great things, she said. Im just really honored and humbled to be part of this group, absolutely.Larson has only one small request.I just wish she would give me some of her vertical, Larson said, just a little bit. ' ' '