da mrbet: San Diego Wave boss Casey Stoney has provided the latest on USWNT pair Alex Morgan and Naomi Girma's injuries.
da realbet: Article continues below
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Morgan & Girma sidelined for WaveU.S. having defensive injury issues ahead of summerSan Diego's enduring tough start to NWSL seasonWHAT HAPPENED?
Morgan last appeared for the Wave on April 19, where she played 84 minutes before suffering an ankle injury. Girma, meanwhile, played 90 minutes on April 28, but missed their most recent match due to injury. The duo, in addition to USWNT defender Abby Dahlkemper, have all been ruled out for their next game on Wednesday evening.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT STONEY SAID
Morgan, Dahlkemper, Girma, Sofia Jakobsson and Melanie Barcenas are all out for the Wave currently. Asked if any are close to returning, Stoney said: "No, unfortunately not."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The USWNT have an important summer on the horizon, and Girma's health is of critical concern. The central defender is one of the best in the world in her position and as things stand, both her and Gotham's Tierna Davidson are sidelined with injuries. The duo would be expected to start for Emma Hayes at the Paris Olympics. Add Dahlkemper to the mix, and that's three centerbacks for the U.S. currently on the sideline.
For the Wave, it's a big miss to not have their central duo and Morgan in the mix. Having finished top of the standings last season, they currently have just seven points on the board this time out.
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR THE WAVE AND THE USWNT TRIO?
The Wave are back in action Wednesday evening against the Utah Royals in NWSL play. They'll look to bounce back from a Friday defeat to Seattle Reign and earn their second victory in three matches. Moving forward, all eyes will be on their USWNT trio and the upcoming June friendlies against Korea – as Morgan, Dahlkemper and Girma could miss out on the beginning of the Emma Hayes' era.