The U.S. women’s national team’s time of trying new things is almost over. This may have been as clear as day during their 2-1 win over Japan on Saturday, when they played one of their best games since the Women’s World Cup. But Tuesday’s SheBelieves Cup final against Canada is one of the USWNT’s last chances to change up the team, both because they want to try something new and because they need to because they have so many players available.
One change could be made to the defence after Naomi Girma left Saturday’s win with a sprained right thigh in the 18th minute. Interim head coach Twila Kilgore said she was “day to day,” but the accident could give us a chance to look at the depth chart for centre backs. As of Tuesday, both Sam Coffey and Mallory Swanson are eligible for selection, but Coffey was checked for a concussion after the game, and Swanson may not be healthy enough to start two games in a row, which could open up other spots on the field.
Even though players might not be able to play, Kilgore could use her last game in charge as an opportunity to give starting roles to players she thinks are strong, like goalie Alyssa Naeher and right back Emily Fox. You can still answer some questions about every part of the field, such as where Jaedyn Shaw’s best role is because she is still the star of a new crop of players. Kilgore’s picks might not just be a way to try out as many different versions of the team as possible, but they might also show what the coaches really want.
If you want to play in the SheBelieves Cup final against Canada, here are the roles that could be open.
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Center back
On Saturday, Abby Dahlkemper filled in for Girma as a centre back. She got along well with Tierna Davidson and almost took the lead in the race to be the first-choice pair’s backup. The USWNT does have a lot of players in this position, though, so it’s not quite clear who would start in Girma’s place if they had to.
A good game against Canada could be seen as a real vote of confidence if Dahlkemper gets the job on Tuesday. Eva Gaetino, who is 21 years old and still waiting for her first cap, is the other centre back in camp. For now, Dahlkemper might be ahead of her in the depth chart because she could start in a final (or a decisive pre-Olympics friendly, depending on who you ask). Alana Cook is still a big question mark in this group because she didn’t get over a small injury quickly enough to make it to this camp, even though she has been with the USWNT for a while.
Kilgore seems to like a four-person defence, but she did play with three at the back in the USWNT’s wins over China in December, so it’s not impossible. Dahlkemper, Fox, and Girma started together once, and Jenna Nighswonger joined Girma and Davidson on another occasion. This could free up spots on the wings, where the USWNT is a bit short-staffed but still has Crystal Dunn, Casey Krueger, and Trinity Rodman to choose from.
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Back left
If Kilgore keeps four in the back, the choice on Tuesday could tip the scales in favour of one player. During the Concacaf W Gold Cup, Dunn and Nighswonger took turns playing that position. On Saturday, Nighswonger got the start, which showed off her scoring skills once more. The game against Japan also showed how weak Nighswonger’s defence was, as Kiko Seike scored a minute into the game with a great counterattack.
Another start for Nighswonger could mean that she’s still in the running for the job, while a start for Dunn could mean that the race is still open. If they choose to play three at the back, there’s probably room for both of them, but Dunn can still play in middle because of how versatile she is. For the national team, she has rarely played further forward, but in the NWSL, she almost always plays in the middle. Most recently, she played left wing for NJ/NY Gotham FC while Nightswonger played left back.
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Wide forward
The centre on Saturday was set up to help Swanson, but Sam Coffey, Lindsey Horan, and Shaw all had great games, which might be the most important thing to take away from the game. If Coffey is fit enough, this group should play again, especially since the USWNT is short-staffed at the 10 spot right now—Rose Lavelle is hurt and can’t play, and Catarina Macario might not be ready for a start yet because she is still healing from an ACL tear.
Swanson normally would be in the running to start again, but it’s not clear if she’s healthy enough to play two games in a row. While Lynn Williams is recovering from an injury, the USWNT usually has more choices here. However, there is a spot that could go straight to Sophia Smith or even Dunn, even without her.
If Smith comes back, the front three will look a lot like it did at the World Cup. Smith and Trinity Rodman will play on the wings, and Alex Morgan will play in the middle. That group didn’t do very well at last year’s competition, but the USWNT might want to see if the results would be different if they changed the shape and people of their team, at least until other players get back in shape.
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