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Gotham FC and U.S. women’s national team defender Tierna Davidson left Friday’s match against the Houston Dash with an apparent leg injury.The 26-year-old was working to close down her former teammate Yazmeen Ryan and planted her left leg awkwardly while running toward the end line. There was no contact on the play. She fell, immediately holding her left knee and looking visibly upset. Davidson slammed her hand on the ground a few times and was consoled by goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger before leaving the field.
The extent of Davidson’s injury remains unclear; however, a Gotham spokesperson said she will be evaluated when the team returns to New Jersey.
Davidson walked off the pitch with limited support from trainers and her teammates. On the sideline, Gotham’s assistant goalkeeper coach, Michelle Betos, who was a player on the squad last year, gave Davidson a long hug before the defender headed to the locker room.
Defender Mandy Freeman entered the pitch for Davidson in the 44th minute, taking the captain’s armband left behind by Davidson.
In 2022, the U.S. defender tore the ACL in her right knee while with the Chicago Red Stars and missed the remainder of that season. In 2018, she fractured her ankle while playing for Stanford.
The scenes in Houston were concerning for Davidson and Gotham, who were vying for their first win of the season.
Davidson was named to Emma Hayes’ 24-player USWNT roster for the team’s upcoming friendlies against Brazil in California next week.
What does this mean for the USWNT?
In the short term, it feels fair to expect Hayes to replace Davidson for the two upcoming matches against Brazil. The U.S. head coach has continued to explore the depth at center back, especially with Naomi Girma missing the first part of the year with a calf injury. With Girma’s place as the team’s leading starting center back cemented and 2025 serving as an extended evaluation period without a major tournament for the USWNT, Davidson’s injury is a tough blow for her as she looked to make her case to join Girma as a consistent starter.
Timing is a potential silver lining, however, with 2025 only the start of the World Cup and Olympic cycle. If it is the worst-case scenario, Davidson would have a bit more runway ahead of World Cup qualifiers next summer and plenty of time ahead of the 2027 tournament to work her way back into contention.
Still, Davidson’s absence would be unfortunate for the U.S. considering her quiet leadership and thoughtfulness. Davidson also has proved to be one of the new voices for the team off the field, having just been elected as president of the USWNT Players Association.
What does this mean for Gotham?
Losing Davidson would be a devastating blow for Gotham, as the team navigates a roster with several new faces.
Davidson is considered a leader and veteran on the team, having been named this season’s club captain, as well as a vital part of the team’s backline alongside fellow USWNT veteran Emily Sonnett. An extended absence from Davison could offer an opportunity for NWSL rookie Lilly Reale to step into the fold in a more meaningful way after a promising start to her professional career.
This season has been filled with change for the 2023 NWSL champions, who lost several of its attacking players this offseason, including Ryan and Delanie Sheehan, who were on the pitch for Houston as key members of its 2025 revamp.
This offseason, Gotham’s backline remained largely unchanged, except for Jenna Nighswonger leaving the team for Arsenal. Gotham’s defensive line has been the team’s secret weapon in recent seasons, with Davidson a focal point of that success, successfully shutting down some of the league’s strongest attackers like Orlando Pride’s Barba Banda last year.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
US Women's national team, Gotham FC, NWSL
2025 The Athletic Media Company
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