Crystal Dunn is aiming to return to play with the USWNT. (USA TODAY Photo)

By Michael Lewis

FrontRowSoccer.com Editor

Crystal Dunn is back with the U.S. women’s national team.

Well, sort of.

The veteran defender and Rockville Centre, N.Y. native, who gave birth to her son Marcel on May 20, will join the team’s September camp for training as she continues her return to fitness.

Dunn, however, will not feature in the matches.

“We do believe Crystal will have time with her with her club team before the end of the year and we do believe that she’s going to be playing minutes for us in one of the upcoming games,” USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski said during a late Monday morning media conference call.”

Andonovski indicated it will be future matches, possibly this year.

“Now what those minutes are going to look like I cannot be more precise because we need to see what Crystal is right now when she comes in camp,” he added. “But so far we know that she’s ahead of schedule and she’s doing very well. It’s important for her to start integrating back into into the environment, because now she will have a little bit different challenges outside of playing soccer and we’re all excited for it.”

One reason Dunn was called into camp was to get to know the new younger players on the team who competed at the recent W Concacaf Championship and friendlies earlier this year.

“That’s why we wanted Crystal to be in because we will see someone with interest, obviously someone that there will be a very, very important player for us going forward,” Andonovski said. “If she can get back anywhere close to her best because how good she is on the field but also her experience and leadership qualities of the field will be will be important for for the young group or the younger group that we have.”

The versatile Dunn, who can play any position but goalkeeper, had been a mainstay for the national side until her recent pregnancy.

Dunn, who turned 30 on July 3, has made 123 appearances for the USA while scoring 24 goals.

It was not known when Dunn, who performs for the Portland Thorns (National Women’s Soccer League), will return to play for the USWNT.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.