USA Women's Soccer Roster 2015: USWNT Key Players to Watch vs. Australia

The United States begins its redemption tour Monday versus Australia in its first Women's World Cup match since a heartbreaking loss to Japan in the 2011 final. FIFA currently ranks the Americans as the world's No. 2 team, behind only Germany, but they have some question marks leading up to their World Cup opener.

Jill Ellis' squad is deep—it may be the deepest roster in the World Cup—but due to injury issues, the manager will have to utilize her bench with more frequency. Perhaps the biggest injury question mark is forward Alex Morgan, who has been sidelined for roughly two months with a bone bruise in her left knee.

According to the Associated Press (h/t FoxSports.com), Morgan has been participating in practices and Ellis has been "very pleased with the progress" the forward has made. However, it would be rash to think she'll be fully fit so early in the World Cup, and we can speculate that if we see her at all, it may be on an as-needed basis as a late substitute.

With Morgan's status in doubt, it's unclear who will get the start up top. Will Ellis go with the goalscoring capability and experience of Abby Wambach or perhaps the speed of Sydney Leroux?

Luckily, she has options, and Ellis touched on the versatility of her forwards during an interview with Jeff Carlisle of espnW.com: "They all have something kind of unique. I just think in general they're dangerous behind the [defensive] line and dangerous in front of the line. That's the general category. I love pace. I love it. It's been good to tinker with them."

With that in mind, here's a look at a few key players to watch when the U.S. women's national team takes on Australia on Monday in their World Cup opener.

Sydney Leroux

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If the Americans are going to continue their all-time undefeated streak against the Matildas (22-0-2), pace will be important. Australia has a fine striker in Lisa De Vanna, and it won't shy away from being aggressive against a United States defense that had a few questionable moments in its last friendly against South Korea. The counterattack will be the key here.

That's where Leroux comes into play. One of the fastest players on the squad, she has game-altering athleticism; however, her touches can be heavy at times, and her finishing ability hasn't been consistent in recent years. Still, her ability to get down the pitch quickly and get behind an Australian back line that may press high up the field will be an enormous asset.

Take a look at this goal by Leroux against New Zealand in the 2012 Olympics to get a taste of what she brings to the table:

Ellis will likely turn to Wambach's experience and toughness in the team's first game of the World Cup, making Leroux a perfect complement to the 35-year-old veteran.

Carli Lloyd

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

This midfielder may be the best all-around player on the women's national team, and the squad, which doesn't often hold its shape, will rely upon her heavily. Under Ellis, players tend to move out of position frequently, and the biggest reason that has been somewhat successful is because Lloyd is the glue that holds it all together.

With her ability to use her good pace and ball skills to transition the ball up the field, her willingness to make defensive tackles, her goalscoring ability, and her knack for playing either in the middle or out on the wing, she is a do-it-all player who can adapt to any situation or formation. The team will need her to be its architect in the World Cup, as she'll be expected to set up its bevy of forwards.

Here's a great example of the do-it-all versatility that will help propel the United States out of the Group of Death:

The Americans may have lineup questions at a few positions, but with Lloyd in the mix, transitions between starters and bench players should be seamless.

Hope Solo

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Goalkeeper Hope Solo has made plenty of headlines of late; however, they haven't been flattering. Details regarding her arrest on domestic violence charges recently surfaced, via a report from ESPN.com, and it's not pretty. There's no doubt Solo is a fantastic keeper, but she could be just as big of a distraction in Canada.

Ellis has been saying all the right things leading up to the team's World Cup opener. During an interview with Carlisle, she supported Solo, saying, "Hope's been fantastic. That [case] was a long time ago. I'll be honest, we've moved on, and she's been a fantastic player and teammate. None of that has even resonated with us, and I'm sure some of the players aren't even aware of it."

Rest assured, with all of the recent media attention on Solo's situation, the team's players have heard about the incident by now. It's a matter of confidence at this point for the United States keeper, who won the Golden Glove in the 2011 World Cup. She's a fantastic asset when she's at her best, but any lapses in concentration could doom the United States.

Take a look at this collection of Solo's saves throughout 2014-15:

Maintaining the trust of her teammates and manager by staying focused on the task at hand and avoiding any further distractions will be of the utmost importance for Solo in the 2015 World Cup.