Sports What is going to Emma Hayes enact with USWNT backline vs. Brazil? (2:08)
Ali Krieger examines in all probability lineups USWNT manager Emma Hayes could well maybe deploy after an afflict to Tierna Davidson. (2:08)
Jeff Kassouf
Apr 4, 2025, 04:22 PM ET
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — United States ladies folks’s national physique of workers coach Emma Hayes acknowledged she feels confident in her physique of workers’s defensive personnel sooner than an Olympic gold medal-game rematch against Brazil, no topic the “extremely unfortunate” afflict to center-help Tierna Davidson.
Davidson tore her ACL ideal week and could well maybe leave out the relaxation of 2025. The USWNT used to be already without fellow starting center-help Naomi Girma, who’s facing a calf afflict, heading into Saturday’s game at SoFi Stadium.
“Without Naomi Girma, without Tierna Davidson, this is the right time to develop individuals first,” Hayes acknowledged at a news conference Friday. “I’ve been really clear that this camp, the next two camps, there is going to be experimentation, and that means that the connections on the field might not be as strong, but we get a chance to see where the individual development is in that.”
Defenders Crystal Dunn and Emily Sonnett are the most senior defenders on the most trendy roster. They are joined by some young and less experienced gamers admire center-help Tara McKeown, who earned her first caps in February, and fullback Avery Patterson, who’s in her first camp with the USWNT.
Hayes acknowledged on Friday that she would “drip-feed” young gamers into games alongside veterans to make sure less experienced gamers are arrangement up for achievement.
“What I have noticed in this camp is the gap closing across the board within the team, and that’s our first starting point,” Hayes acknowledged.
The USWNT will additionally play Brazil on Tuesday in San Jose, California. The Individuals gained the 2024 Olympic ideal 1-0 in August to capture a fifth Olympic gold medal for this system.
The USWNT is without shut to half their starters from that game. Forward Sophia Wilson (nee Smith) is on maternity leave, forward Mallory Swanson is on private leave, and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher fair presently retired from world accountability. Apart from to injuries to Girma and Davidson, Rose Lavelle — a longtime mainstay in midfield — is additionally sidelined.
Forward Trinity Rodman has returned to the squad, on the alternative hand, for the key time for the explanation that Olympics after facing continual help problems. The 22-yr-broken-down acknowledged fair presently that she could well maybe not ever be 100% wholesome.
“I think the back’s very difficult because you can’t avoid using it at every moment in a game, every moment of your day-to-day life,” Rodman acknowledged on Friday. “For me, it is about management and coaching my help to be in obvious positions so I’m not overworking other muscles to overcompensate for it.
“It’s been an interesting and hard journey, but it’s been good getting back.”
Hayes acknowledged she will be able to organize Rodman to be obvious she doesn’t push her too entertaining too soon. Rodman made her first initiate of the NWSL season for the Washington Spirit ideal weekend.
Forward Catarina Macario is anticipated to play a fundamental role for the USWNT over the following two games against Brazil, which is her initiating country. Macario used to be born in Brazil and moved to the U.S. with her family in 2012. She received U.S. citizenship in 2020 and received her first call-up to the USWNT on the the same day.
“I haven’t thought about it too much,” she acknowledged Friday about enjoying Brazil. “But will obviously be very special — kind of like a full-circle moment.”
Hayes expects Brazil to bring high rigidity defensively, that could well maybe power her physique of workers to invent speedy choices. On Friday, she cited the notorious Mike Tyson quote about how all individuals has a conception until they accept punched within the face.
“Let’s see what we’re like when we’ve been punched in the game,” Hayes acknowledged. “That’s something that I think we’re set up to do in the work that we’re doing both on the pitch and in the classroom.”