Lloyd returns to USWNT roster for South Korea friendlies

Carli Lloyd has returned from an ankle injury to earn a spot on the U.S. national team's roster to face South Korea in a pair of October friendlies, U.S. Soccer announced Wednesday.

Lloyd sat out two matches against New Zealand last month but has returned to fitness in time for inclusion on coach Jill Ellis' 22-player roster. The two-time defending FIFA World Player of the Year hasn't appeared in a match since suffering the injury in NWSL action with the Houston Dash on Aug. 14.

Stanford midfielder Andi Sullivan also returns to the fold, with the 21-year-old earning her first call-up since suffering a torn ACL in November.

The U.S. will face South Korea on Oct. 19 at the Superdome in New Orleans before hosting the same opponent three days later at Sahlen's Stadium in Cary, North Carolina. Ellis' side hasn't faced South Korea since a 0-0 draw in Harrison, New Jersey, in the Americans' final tune-up match before winning the 2015 Women's World Cup.

"South Korea is a team that is well positioned to qualify for the upcoming World Cup in France, a former world champion at the Under-17 level and a team that gave us a battle when we played them before the last World Cup," Ellis said in a news release. "They fit perfectly into the mold of the kind of team we wanted to play this year and will be an excellent opponent for our group coming out of the NWSL season."

Here is the full U.S. roster:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

DEFENDERS (7): Abby Dahlkemper (NC Courage), Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars), Sofia Huerta (Chicago Red Stars), Kelley O'Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars), Taylor Smith (NC Courage)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Allie Long (Portland Thorns), Samantha Mewis (NC Courage), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign), Andi Sullivan (Stanford)

FORWARDS (5): Crystal Dunn (Chelsea), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Mallory Pugh (Washington Spirit), Lynn Williams (NC Courage)