With the Olympics looming, the U.S. women’s national team may need to start worrying about Naomi Girma.
The San Diego Wave center back, who has emerged over the past 18 months as the USWNT’s most important defender, was not in uniform as her side fell 2-1 to the 10-player Seattle Reign at Lumen Field on Friday night.
Girma was listed as out with a thigh issue on a league availability report published Thursday night, not long after Wave head coach Casey Stoney had said she had “no updates” on her side’s list of injured players.
“Still waiting on a few decisions,” Stoney told reporters in a Thursday press conference.
Girma’s status had become something to monitor a month ago, when she pulled up with an injury during the USWNT’s SheBelieves Cup win over Japan.
One week later, the 2023 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year would sit out San Diego’s 0-0 draw with Racing Louisville due to the knock. However, she would return after that, starting both a 1-0 loss to the Orlando Pride and this past Saturday’s 2-1 win over Bay FC.
Girma is joined by some big names on the list of Wave absentees. USWNT teammates Alex Morgan (lower leg) and Abby Dahlkemper (thigh) were also unavailable for Stoney’s side in Seattle, as were Sweden winger Sofia Jakobsson (lower leg) and teenage midfielder Melanie Barcenas (hip).
After the match, Stoney told reporters that Girma and Dahlkemper are both “questionable” to play on Wednesday, when San Diego hosts the Utah Royals.
The USWNT, meanwhile, will announce a squad for a pair of friendlies against South Korea later this month in what will be Emma Hayes’ first matches as head coach. Those games will be the the final tests before Hayes selects her 18-player roster for the Olympics later this summer.
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