U.S. women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes will wait until the last minute to determine the status of Tierna Davidson and Jaedyn Shaw for Saturday’s Olympic quarterfinal against Japan.
Davidson was forced out of the team’s 4-1 win over Germany after suffering a knee contusion, and missed the team’s group-stage finale against Australia.
Meanwhile, Shaw suffered a “leg injury” in training the day before the team’s Olympic opener against Zambia, and has missed all three of the team’s games thus far.
On Friday, Hayes was unable to make a determination on either player, telling reporters that she would make a late decision on the pair.
“There’s not a big turnaround. I’m going to leave it for as long as possible,” Hayes said in quotes on The Athletic. “I’ve got another 24 hours, so the injury update is touch and go, but I’m gonna give it the maximum amount of time to see if either one of them are available.”
Davidson is suffering from swelling after a knee-on-knee collision with Germany’s Jule Brand.
“She’s recovering really really well,” Hayes said on the center back. “It’s just, is there going to be enough time?”
In Davidson’s absence, Emily Sonnett has been filling in at center back alongside Naomi Girma.
Shaw has been replaced on the gameday squad by Croix Bethune for all three of the team’s matches in France thus far. The Washington Spirit rookie made her Olympic debut in the second half of the USWNT’s 2-1 win over Australia.
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