USWNT Coach Emma Hayes Confident Despite Key Injuries Ahead of Brazil Rematch
Inglewood, Calif. — As the United States women’s national team gears up for a highly anticipated Olympic gold medal-game rematch against Brazil, head coach Emma Hayes remains optimistic about her team’s defensive capabilities. This confidence comes despite the “extremely unfortunate” injury to center-back Tierna Davidson, who recently tore her ACL and will miss the remainder of 2025.
The USWNT is already facing challenges with the absence of another starting center-back, Naomi Girma, due to a calf injury. These setbacks come just as the team is preparing for Saturday’s game at SoFi Stadium. Despite these hurdles, Hayes is taking a strategic approach to player development and team dynamics.
“Without Naomi Girma, without Tierna Davidson, this is the right time to develop individuals first,” Hayes stated during a news conference on 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.”
Veterans and Newcomers: A Blend of Experience and Fresh Talent
In the absence of key players, the USWNT will rely on the experience of defenders Crystal Dunn and Emily Sonnett, who are the most senior defenders on the current roster. They will be joined by younger, less experienced players like center-back Tara McKeown, who earned her first caps in February, and fullback Avery Patterson, who is in her first camp with the USWNT.
Hayes plans to “drip-feed” young players into games alongside veterans to ensure that less experienced players are set up for success. “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 noted.
Challenges and Opportunities: A New Look for the USWNT
The USWNT will also face Brazil on Tuesday in San Jose, California. The Americans won the 2024 Olympic final 1-0 in August, capturing a fifth Olympic gold medal for the program. However, the team is currently without nearly half of their starters from that game. Forward Sophia Wilson (nee Smith) is on maternity leave, forward Mallory Swanson is on personal leave, and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher recently retired from international duty. Additionally, Rose Lavelle, a longtime mainstay in midfield, is also sidelined.
On a positive note, forward Trinity Rodman has returned to the squad for the first time since the Olympics after dealing with chronic back problems. The 22-year-old recently shared that she might not ever be 100% healthy, but she is focused on managing her condition. “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 explained. “For me, it is about management and training my back to be in certain positions so I’m not overworking other muscles to overcompensate for it.”
Hayes is committed to managing Rodman’s workload to ensure she doesn’t push herself too hard too soon. Rodman made her first start of the NWSL season for the Washington Spirit last weekend.
Catarina Macario: A Special Connection to Brazil
Forward Catarina Macario is expected to play a significant role for the USWNT over the next two games against Brazil, which is her birth country. Macario was born in Brazil and moved to the U.S. with her family in 2012. She acquired U.S. citizenship in 2020 and received her first call-up to the USWNT on the same day. “I haven’t thought about it too much,” she said Friday about playing Brazil. “But will obviously be very special — kind of like a full-circle moment.”
Hayes anticipates Brazil to bring high pressure defensively, which will force her team to make quick decisions. On Friday, she cited the famous Mike Tyson quote about how everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. “Let’s see what we’re like when we’ve been punched in the game,” Hayes said. “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.”
Originally Written by: Jeff Kassouf
