USWNT positional battles: Lineup spots that could be up for grabs in SheBelieves Cup final against Canada

The U.S. women’s national team’s era of experimentation is nearing its conclusion, and it was arguably clear as day during their 2-1 win over Japan on Saturday, when the U.S. put together one of their most promising post-Women’s World Cup performances. Tuesday’s SheBelieves Cup final against Canada, though, presents one of the USWNT’s final opportunities to tinker with the lineup out of both obligation to the experiment and necessity considering the players on hand.

One change to the lineup could come in defense after Naomi Girma came off in the 18th minute of Saturday’s win with a right thigh sprain. Interim head coach Twila Kilgore described her status as “day to day,” but the injury could offer up an opportunity to examine the center back depth chart. Sam Coffey and Mallory Swanson are available for selection on Tuesday, but the former was evaluated for a concussion after the match and the latter might not be fit enough to start a second game in quick succession, so those circumstances might open up other spots on the field.

Even with the potential absences, Kilgore could treat her final match in charge as a chance to hand starting roles to perceived locks like goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and right back Emily Fox. There’s still a chance to answer some questions across every area of the pitch, including one about where Jaedyn Shaw’s best role is as she continues to be the shining star of a new generation of players. Kilgore’s choices could reveal the coaching staff’s actual preferences, rather than just an opportunity to explore as many variations of the team as possible.

Here’s a look at the starting spots that could be up for grabs in the SheBelieves Cup final against Canada.

Center back

Abby Dahlkemper came on in Girma’s place on Saturday and slotted in nicely alongside Tierna Davidson, almost taking a lead in the race to be an understudy to the first-choice pair. The USWNT is fairly deep in this position, though, which means the answer to who would start in Girma’s place — if need be — is not exactly clear yet.

If Dahlkemper gets the nod on Tuesday, a strong outing against Canada could count as a serious vote of confidence. The other center back in camp is 21-year-old Eva Gaetino, who still awaits her first cap. A start in a final (or a decisive pre-Olympics friendly, depending on who you ask) might be too ambitious as far as first caps go, so Dahlkemper might lead her in the depth chart for the time being. The big question mark in this category remains Alana Cook, who did not recover quickly enough from a small injury in time for this camp, but has been in the USWNT’s fold for some time.

Kilgore seems to prefer a four-person defense but going three at the back is not out of the question since she did just that in the USWNT’s December wins over China. Dahlkemper and Fox started alongside Girma once, while Jenna Nighswonger slotted in alongside Girma and Davidson on another occasion. Doing so might open up spots on the wings, where the USWNT are a little understaffed, but still have options like Crystal Dunn, Casey Krueger and Trinity Rodman around.

Left back

Assuming Kilgore sticks with four in the back, Tuesday’s decision could see the scale tip in one player’s direction. Dunn and Nighswonger split their time in the position during the Concacaf W Gold Cup and the latter got the nod on Saturday, which once again showcased her attacking attributes. The outing against Japan also demonstrated Nighswonger’s defensive vulnerabilities, since she was the one who was exposed as Kiko Seike nailed a counter-attacking play to score a minute into the match.

Another start for Nighswonger could serve as an inkling that she’s the frontrunner for the position, while picking Dunn might suggest that the battle is still on. A choice to play three at the back likely opens up room for both of them, but even then, there’s always room for Dunn — her unique brand of versatility means she could slot in midfield. She has rarely played more advanced for the national team, but almost exclusively lines up in midfield in the NWSL, most recently playing as a left winger for NJ/NY Gotham FC while Nighswonger plays left back.

Wide forward

Saturday’s midfield was designed to accommodate Swanson, but the strong outing for trio Sam Coffey, Lindsey Horan and Shaw was arguably the biggest takeaway from the game. If Coffey is healthy enough to do so, this group should get another outing, especially since the USWNT is understaffed at the 10 right now — Rose Lavelle is out with an injury, while Catarina Macario might not be ready for a start as she continues her return from an ACL tear.

Swanson would normally be a contender to start again, but it’s unclear if she’s fit enough to start two games in quick succession. The USWNT usually has more options here with Lynn Williams, but even without her, she missed this roster as she recovers from injury, there’s a spot that could go straight to Sophia Smith or even Dunn.

If Smith returns to the lineup, the front three would look a lot like it did at the World Cup — Smith and Trinity Rodman on the wings while Alex Morgan plays more centrally. That group delivered little at last year’s competition, but it might be worth exploring if the results would be different if the shape and personnel behind them changes, at least while the USWNT waits for other players to regain fitness.