Tag: Jaedyn Shaw

Hayes: Shaw and Davidson game-time decisions for USWNT Olympic quarterfinal

The U.S. duo are both aiming to recover from injuries

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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USWNT’s Davidson and Shaw ruled out for Olympic group finale vs. Australia

The duo will both not recover in time from their injuries

The U.S. women’s national team will have to do without Tierna Davidson and Jaedyn Shaw for Wednesday’s Olympic group finale against Australia.

Davidson was forced out of the team’s 4-1 win over Germany on Sunday, coming off in the first half after a knee-to-knee collision with Jule Brand.

The Gotham FC defender was replaced by her club teammate Emily Sonnett, who slotted into central defense alongside Naomi Girma.

On Tuesday, USWNT head coach Emma Hayes told the media Davidson would not recover in time for Wednesday’s match against the Matildas.

“She got a contusion because she got hit in her leg,” Hayes said. “Knee-on-knee situations can create a bit of swelling so that swelling will keep her out of this game.”

Hayes did not indicate who would replace Davidson, but Emily Sams is the only defensive option of the four alternates.

On Wednesday, U.S. Soccer confirmed it would indeed be Sams who replaced Davidson on the gameday squad.

The coach also ruled out Shaw for a third straight match. The San Diego Wave star suffered a “leg injury” in training the day before the team’s Olympic opener against Zambia.

The 19-year-old was replaced on the gameday squad by alternate Croix Bethune, who has yet to see any playing time at the Olympics.

The USWNT has already clinched a berth in the knockout stage with consecutive wins over Zambia and Germany, and can lock up first place in Group B with a win or draw against Australia.

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Smith fit for USWNT match vs. Germany, Shaw still sidelined

It’s a case of good news, bad news on the injury front for the U.S.

For the U.S. women’s national team, it’s a case of good news, bad news on the injury front.

Sophia Smith will be fit for the team’s Olympic match against Germany on Sunday, while Jaedyn Shaw will remain sidelined.

Per The Athletic, head coach Emma Hayes said that Smith was “fine” and would be involved in training on Saturday. Shaw, meanwhile, trained individually and will miss a second straight game.

The USWNT kicked off Olympics play on Thursday with a 3-0 win against Zambia, emerging from the match with a pair of injury concerns.

Just before halftime, Sophia Smith left the match with a suspected ankle issue. The extent of the injury wasn’t clear, but it appeared her removal may have been precautionary due to the USWNT being up three goals and a player already by that time.

Meanwhile, Shaw will remain sidelined with a leg injury that she suffered in training the day before the Zambia match. Just 90 minutes before Thursday’s game kicked off, U.S. Soccer announced that the San Diego Wave attacker would miss the match.

Croix Bethune was moved from an alternate to the active roster as a replacement for Shaw, and the Washington Spirit rookie appears set to be part of the matchday squad against Germany as well.

Like the USWNT, Germany also began the Olympics with a 3-0 win, defeating Australia easily in its opener.

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USWNT forward Shaw misses Zambia match with leg injury

The 19-year-old has been replaced on the gameday roster by Croix Bethune

U.S. women’s national team forward Jaedyn Shaw will miss the team’s Olympic opener against Zambia with a leg injury, U.S. Soccer announced just 90 minutes before Thursday’s match.

Shaw was replaced in the matchday squad by roster alternate Croix Bethune, who earned her first two USWNT caps in this month’s friendlies against Mexico and Costa Rica.

No USWNT official had indicated prior to Thursday that Shaw was suffering from any injury. The San Diego Wave star played against Mexico and Costa Rica, coming off the bench in the second half in both matches.

Shaw did suffer a leg injury with the Wave back in May, but only missed one NWSL game before she was able to return later in the month.

According to ESPN, Shaw was injured in training the day before the match against Zambia, and U.S. officials don’t believe the problem is serious.

If Shaw isn’t seriously hurt, head coach Emma Hayes could take advantage of a new roster rule to bring the forward back at some point during the tournament.

This Olympics, roster alternates are able to replace injured players on a game-by-game basis. That means Hayes could bring Shaw back whenever she is fit, moving Bethune back to her alternate role.

Shaw made her USWNT debut in October and quickly established herself as one of the team’s top attacking players. This spring, Shaw became the first player to ever score a goal in each of her first five USWNT starts.

Overall, Shaw has seven goals in 16 caps for the U.S. so far.

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2024 Paris Olympics: The youngest USWNT since 2008 includes a teenager and 12 players under 30

The USWNT is counting on youth to bring home the gold.

Looking to get back on top after falling short of gold in back-to-back Olympics, the United States is sending its youngest women’s national soccer team to the Olympics since 2008.

With an average age of 26.8, according to U.S. Soccer, this is the fourth-youngest USWNT ever at the Olympics. Much younger than the 2021 team that won bronze with an average age of 30.8.

The hope is that the new infusion of youth will catapult the team back to the top of the world, when it won three straight Olympic gold medals from 2004 to 2012.

Of course, when a team’s average age is so young, there are usually a few players on the extreme end of that spectrum, and this team is no exception, with two players under the age of the youngest player from the 2021 roster — which was Tierna Davidson at 22.

The youngest is 19-year-old Jaedyn Shaw, who will be the fifth-youngest player and fifth teenager to ever play for the USWNT at the Olympics. A forward/midfielder for San Diego FC, Shaw holds the NWSL record for most goals scored by a teenager, surpassing her U.S. teammate Trinity Rodman — who’s only 22 herself.

The next youngest is 20-year-old Korbin Albert, whose selection to the team was a little controversial. Nonetheless, the former Notre Dame standout and Paris St. Germain midfielder has excelled on the pitch.

Ten others from the 18-player roster are also under 30, including Rodman, Jenna Nighswonger (23), Sophia Smith (23), Naomi Germa (24), Davidson (25), Sam Coffey (25), Emily Fox (26), Mallory Swanson (26), Casey Murphy (28) and Rose Lavelle (29).

USWNT star Shaw breaks Rodman’s NWSL record with San Diego Wave goal

The 19-year-old scored her 13th career NWSL goal against Rodman’s Spirit

Jaedyn Shaw has broken Trinity Rodman’s all-time NWSL record for most goals by a teenager.

The San Diego Wave attacker ironically scored her record-breaking 13th career NWSL goal against Rodman’s Washington Spirit side on Saturday.

Shaw, 19, got on the end of a left-footed cross by María Sánchez in the 20th minute at Audi Field. After her first shot attempt got stuck under her feet, Shaw was able to recover in time to bury her second effort past Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury.

The Spirit would eventually recover thanks to Croix Bethune, who scored an equalizer deep into stoppage time to earn her side a 1-1 draw.

Shaw’s goal coming against the Spirit carried an extra layer of irony as well: Washington had Shaw on its preseason roster in 2022 and tried to sign her, but the NWSL intervened and said she would have to go through its discovery process, which ultimately saw the then-17-year-old sign with San Diego.

Both Shaw and Rodman are expected to be on the U.S. women’s national team 18-player Olympic roster, which will be named next month.

Watch Shaw’s record-breaking goal

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USWNT star Alex Morgan returns from injury for San Diego Wave

Morgan returned to the pitch after missing a month with an ankle injury

Alex Morgan has made her return from injury, and just in the nick of time.

The U.S. women’s national team star had been sidelined for over a month with an ankle injury, but made her return Thursday night in a scoreless NWSL draw between the San Diego Wave and Angel City FC.

Morgan entered the match as a substitute, replacing Elyse Bennett in the 63rd minute. That ended just under five weeks on the touchline for Morgan, who departed an April 19 loss to the Orlando Pride following an awkward fall.

The news comes just days before the USWNT will assemble for the first time under coach Emma Hayes, who included Morgan in her 23-player squad for matches against South Korea early next month.

San Diego matches have been must-watch for USWNT observers lately, with numerous candidates for the Olympic roster all dealing with injuries.

Naomi Girma (hamstring) started for the Wave, putting in her first 90-minute shift since April 27’s home win over Bay FC.

Jaedyn Shaw (ankle) sat out last Friday’s loss, coincidentally also against Bay FC, but returned for manager Casey Stoney as the defending NWSL Shield holders battled to a scoreless draw in LA.

Those two, like Morgan, were on the latest USWNT squad. Abby Dahlkemper, a longtime U.S. center back looking to push her way back into the squad under new management, made her first start since April 19.

Morgan faces fight for USWNT Olympic spot

Morgan has been a USWNT fixture since bursting onto the scene in 2010. However, with the extraordinarily tough task of taking just 18 players to Paris, Hayes could possibly leave her out of a major tournament.

Catarina Macario’s return to fitness will give Hayes a very different sort of No. 9, and one she knows extremely well (having just finished coaching her at Chelsea). Sophia Smith, meanwhile, has arguably been the best striker in the NWSL this season, with Zambia star Barbra Banda her only serious competition.

On top of that, Hayes has brought up a need for versatility, which may play against Morgan. The 34-year-old has occasionally played on the left during her career, but has played almost entirely as a center forward in recent years.

With Smith able to play wide and Macario capable as a midfielder — not to mention Trinity Rodman being a possible central option, and Crystal Dunn being listed among the forwards after years of playing left back for the USWNT — the competition for a U.S. roster spot has never been stiffer for Morgan.

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USWNT defender Girma set to return from injury for San Diego Wave

A little good news, a little bad news for both the Wave and the USWNT

The San Diego Wave are set to welcome multiple U.S. women’s national team players back from injury, including star defender Naomi Girma.

Wave head coach Casey Stoney said that Girma would be available for Friday’s game against Bay FC, with the 23-year-old apparently having recovered from a thigh injury that sidelined her for San Diego’s last three matches.

“Naomi and Abby will be back,” Stoney told reporters during a Wednesday press conference, referring to Girma and another USWNT center back, Abby Dahlkemper. The latter has been out for roughly a month, also with a thigh issue.

Girma is considered a lock to start for the USWNT at the Olympics, but has now missed time over muscular injuries twice in the last six weeks. USWNT interim coach Twila Kilgore had to substitute Girma in April’s SheBelieves Cup win over Japan after the defender pulled up with an apparent hamstring strain.

Dahlkemper, meanwhile, faces a battle to make Emma Hayes’ final 18-player roster for this summer’s Olympics, with multiple players vying to partner Girma at center back. Candidates like Tierna Davidson and Alana Cook have both lost time to injuries of their own this year.

Hayes will begin her tenure as the U.S. manager in the coming weeks, with friendlies against South Korea on June 1 and June 4 representing the one and only set of matches before the Olympic roster is announced.

Shaw questionable, Morgan remains out

The Wave had further updates on USWNT regulars, but the news for Jaedyn Shaw and Alex Morgan was more mixed.

Shaw limped off in the final seconds of Sunday’s 1-1 draw with NJ/NY Gotham FC with a possible ankle injury, and per Stoney, her status is still up in the air.

Stoney said Shaw is “day-by-day at the minute, so we won’t know [until Friday’s game],” leaving open the possibility that the star attacker could make a quick return from an incident that initially looked more worrisome.

Morgan, meanwhile, remains out with an ankle injury suffered during a loss to the Orlando Pride on April 19.

“Alex is still out,” said Stoney. “She’s been running. She’s been doing technical work this week. She’ll be available when she’s available.”

For her own part, Morgan last week posted on social media that she hopes to return “very soon.”

San Diego has two NWSL matches before Hayes is expected to announce her squad for the games against South Korea: Friday’s clash at Bay FC, and a trip to face Angel City FC on May 23.

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USWNT star Shaw limps off with injury for San Diego Wave

The USWNT and Wave will be facing a nervous wait over Shaw’s injury

The San Diego Wave and the U.S. women’s national team will be facing a nervous wait over the status of Jaedyn Shaw.

The 19-year-old star limped off with a leg injury in the Wave’s 1-1 draw with NJ/NY Gotham FC on Sunday night.

On a corner kick late in the match, Shaw appeared to get tangled up between two Gotham players. After attempting to play on, Shaw had to be taken off deep into second-half stoppage time.

Shaw walked off under her own power, but with a noticeable limp as she was replaced by Elyse Bennett.

After the game, Wave head coach Casey Stoney revealed that Shaw appeared to have an ankle injury, but had no further information.

“I’ve not had any update from the medical team,” Stoney said. “I’m sure she’s being examined [at the moment]. She came down on her ankle, it looked like. But no update on her as of yet. Hopefully she’s OK. She’s a big, important player for us.”

Should Shaw be forced to miss a significant period of time, it would be a devastating blow for club and country alike.

Shaw has quickly marked herself as one of the U.S, women’s national team’s biggest stars, becoming the first player to ever score a goal in each of her first five USWNT starts.

With the Olympics kicking off in just over two months, any kind of serious injury would jeopardize Shaw’s availability for her first major tournament.

A lengthy absence for Shaw would also be particularly cruel on the Wave, who are currently missing three USWNT players with injury: Alex Morgan, Naomi Girma and Abby Dahlkemper.

Sunday was a rough evening for the USWNT, as starting goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher also went down with an injury earlier in the night.

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USWNT star Shaw opens up on Vietnamese heritage

The forward is the first Vietnamese-American to ever represent the USWNT

U.S. women’s national team forward Jaedyn Shaw has spoken out about her Vietnamese heritage as part of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the United States.

The 19-year-old has quickly marked herself as one of the national team’s biggest stars, becoming the first player to ever score a goal in each of her first five USWNT starts.

Shaw’s father is Black and her mother is Vietnamese, making her the first Vietnamese-American to ever represent the USWNT. The San Diego Wave forward spoke about her background in a U.S. Soccer video for AAPI Heritage Month.

“My dad is Black, my mom is Vietnamese and I would say I’m all the good parts of both,” Shaw said with a laugh.

“Being the first Vietnamese-American to play on the U.S. women’s national team is a complete honor,” she added. “I feel like putting on this jersey at all is an honor, but being able to represent more than that, I think that is a really cool opportunity for me to inspire little girls that maybe have a similar heritage and background as me.”

The USWNT opened the 2023 World Cup with a 3-0 win over Vietnam. Shaw, who wasn’t on the roster and watched from home, said that match was particularly meaningful to her.

“It was a cool moment for me watching the U.S. women’s national team’s opening game in the World Cup against Vietnam,” she said. “I think that it was a little weird at first because technically at that time I could have played for [Vietnam] if I really wanted to. But I think that it’s just so cool that being my heritage and then also being able to represent the U.S. women’s team now.”

Watch Shaw discuss Vietnamese heritage

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