U.S. women’s national team coach Tony DiCicco has announced his 18-woman roster that will depart for Portugal on March 9 to compete in the 6th Algarve Cup, the eight-team international tournament held on the coast in the Southern tip of the country. “Algarve has been trouble for us in the past,” said DiCicco, who has coached two Algarve Cup teams that failed to take top honors. “There are six World Cup teams participating, but generally the teams are not at peak performance. No one is playing great soccer right now. The Algarve Cup is just a chance to see the teams and leap ahead in training. We learn a lot from these events.” U.S. midfielder Michelle Akers, who suffered a gash over her left eye that required 25 stitches and three broken bones in her left cheek from a head-head collision with Norway’s Linda Medalen in the match with the FIFA World Stars on Feb. 14, has been cleared to play. Akers had minor surgery last Wednesday to remove accumulate blood and small bone fragments from her cheek and then was cleared to play on Friday, three weeks earlier then doctors had originally thought. She will travel with the team to Portugal. Absent from the roster is forward Debbie Keller, who filed an arbitration action concerning her national team status last week. She had been invited to train with the team in Florida for the week prior to the departure for Portugal. U.S. forward Mia Hamm will travel to Portugal with 104 career international goals and is just four scores away from breaking the all-time international scoring record of 107 goals held by the long-retired Elisabetta Vignotto of Italy. Vignotto played the bulk of her national team career in the 1970s, earning 109 caps for Italy, but played club soccer for 20 years. It was previously reported that Vignotto’s world scoring mark was 108 goals, but upon further research by the Italian Women’s Soccer Federation, it has been confirmed that the record is in fact 107. Hamm has four matches in Portugal to pursue the record, and then will come back home to face Mexico on March 28 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., as part of a doubleheader with the Los Angeles Galaxy of MLS. The USA opens the tournament on March 14 against Sweden in Silves, faces Finland on March 16 in Quarteira, and finishes first-round play against defending Women’s World Cup champion Norway on March 18 in Albufeira. All the venues are within a 30-minute bus ride in the Algarve region, which is four hours by bus from Lisbon. The other group features China, Denmark, Australia and Portugal. The group winners will meet for the championship on March 20, with the second place finishers playing for 3rd place, the third place finishers playing for 5th and the fourth place finishers playing for 7th. Here is the U.S. roster: Goalkeepers — Briana Scurry (80 caps), Saskia Webber (23). Defenders — Lorrie Fair (38), Joy Fawcett (129), Carla Overbeck (131), Christie Pearce (40), Kate Sobrero (16), Sara Whalen (26). Midfielders — Michelle Akers (128), Brandi Chastain (82), Julie Foudy (141), Tisha Venturini (114). Forwards — Danielle Fotopoulos (12), Mia Hamm (160), Kristine Lilly (166), Shannon MacMillan (66), Tiffeny Milbrett (105), Cindy Parlow (43).