LIMONEST, France — The U.S. women's national team made its final preparations Monday knowing it will return at least one — and possibly two — key pieces of its original Olympic starting lineup for Tuesday's semifinal against Germany.
Sam Coffey, the midfielder who has been a crucial part of the U.S. defense, will return after missing the team's quarterfinal match due to a yellow card suspension. And Tierna Davidson, who began the tournament as one of the U.S. women's starting center backs, is inching closer to playing again as she recovers from a knee bruise she suffered in the team's second group stage match.
While coach Emma Hayes would not commit to anything related to Davidson's ability for tomorrow, she said it was “a great sign” that every player on the squad took part in the final session here at a small club in the suburbs of Lyon — the same place, in fact, where the United States trained before winning the 2019 World Cup final. Davidson, who has not played in the past two games since being injured, practiced with a long sleeve on her leg.
Among the group of players taking part in the sweltering mid-afternoon session, Coffey was particularly excited to take the field after having to watch from the stands as her teammates beat Japan in overtime on Saturday in Paris.
“It was the longest 120 minutes of my life,” Coffey said. “Obviously, all I wanted to do was be out there competing with the team, helping them do whatever it took to win, but I had no doubt that we were going to get the job done.”
“It was a tiring, hot and long game, but I'm relieved to be back with the team and to have put this experience behind me.”
Both Coffey and Davidson (before he was injured) played well in the 4-1 win over Germany in the group stage, and it would be natural to think that a margin as wide as that could set the stage for another American rout on Tuesday.
However, Hayes said he warned his players not to think that way, pointing to the above-average shot conversion rate the U.S. had in that game as well as the reality that elimination games are always different.
“Even if you play the same opponent a week apart, it's still two very, very different games,” Hayes said, comparing the situation to one where club teams meet in consecutive weeks in a Champions League knockout round.
She also praised Germany manager Horst Hrubesch, adding: “I think their manager has given a lot to that team in the last 12 months and he's a smart guy and I'm sure it will be a very different game for them as I hope it will be for us.”
