United States women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes started the same players in midfield (Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle and Sam Coffey) for all three Olympic group stage games. The USWNT midfield will change for the quarterfinals.
Hayes made a risky decision for the group stage finale against Australia and started Coffey plus Trinity Rodman despite the two players already having a yellow card in the tournament. A second yellow would mean they miss the quarterfinals.
Despite the USWNT already being qualified for the knockout stage, Hayes started Coffey and Rodman with the plan slightly backfiring. Coffey received a yellow card early in the game and will now miss the quarterfinal game on Saturday.
4' - YELLOW:
Sam Coffey goes into the book for an early tackle.
She will miss the next match.— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) July 31, 2024
What will Hayes do?
USWNT midfield for Japan game
Other than the two yellow cards, Coffey did a great job in her defensive midfield role and will be sorely missed. Normally the ideal solution would be to bring in Emily Sonnett to replace Coffey, however she has been used at center back to fill in for Tierna Davidson who suffered an injury in the second group stage game vs. Germany.
It’s unclear when Davidson will be able to return. The official injury is a leg contusion. She was forced to exit the Germany game and was unavailable vs. Australia.
Davidson didn't appear to be moving comfortably in a video of the team getting off the bus after the Australia game.
Victory bumps pic.twitter.com/HeScnmFdvI
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) July 31, 2024
If Sonnett is needed at center back then the midfield three could be Korbin Albert, Horan and Lavelle with Albert playing as the holding midfielder. The trio have started together two times this year for the USWNT including a 4-0 victory in the Concacaf W Gold Cup vs. Argentina.
Hayes had defender and alternate Emily Sams included in the squad to fill Davidson's spot, however Sams didn't appear in the Australia game. If Hayes did use Sams in the quarterfinal it would be her USWNT debut.
USWNT midfield prediction
- (If Davidson is still injured): Albert, Horan and Lavelle
- (If Davidson starts vs. Japan): Sonnett, Horan and Lavelle
The USA and Japan play Saturday at 9 a.m. ET.
