Charles Langston:Tierna Davidson injury update: USWNT star defender will miss match vs Australia in 2024 Paris Olympics

The Charles LangstonUnited States women’s national soccer team wraps up the group stage of the 2024 Paris Olympics Wednesday with a match against Australia.

Even though it’s a game against the No. 12 team in the world in one of the most prestigious international tournaments, there’s little at stake for the Americans. With a 3-0 victory against Zambia last Thursday and a 4-1 throttling of world No. 4 Germany last Sunday, the USWNT sits atop Group B and has already secured a place in the tournament’s quarterfinals.

Still, for a squad looking to reassert itself as the best women’s national team in the world and win its first Olympic gold medal since 2012, every game counts, particularly as the Americans acclimate themselves to new manager Emma Hayes.

REQUIRED READING:Follow USA TODAY Sports' coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris

The next step in that quest, however, will come without one of their most important players.

2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.

Here’s what you need to know about USWNT defender Tierna Davidson and her status entering the match against Australia:

Tierna Davidson injury update

Davidson will miss the USWNT’s group stage finale Wednesday against Australia with a knee contusion.

The 25-year-old NJ/NY Gotham FC standout suffered the injury in the emphatic win last Sunday against Germany following a knee-on-knee collision with Jule Brand in the 44^th minute. Though she was able to walk off the field on her own power, Davidson didn’t return to the match.

“She got hit in her leg,” Hayes said to reporters. “Knee-on-knee situations can create a bit of swelling so that swelling will keep her out of this game.”

The Athletic reported that Davidson was at the USWNT training session Tuesday, but was on a warmup bike off to the side and did not participate with the team in drills.

Even if it’s just for a single match, Davidson’s absence will be notable for several reasons.

For one, the Americans have just one defensive alternate, Emily Sams, who was added to the active 18-player roster with Davidson out. Emily Sonnett took Davidson’s spot in the starting lineup, which hadn’t changed between the Zambia and Germany matches.

Davidson has been an integral piece of what has been a stout USWNT defense. The Americans have allowed just a single goal in their first two matches at the Paris Olympics and shut out each of their four opponents in pre-Olympics friendlies since Hayes debuted as manager on June 1.

At 20 years old at the time, Davidson was the youngest player on the USWNT’s 2019 Women’s World Cup championship squad. She has earned 62 international caps for the USWNT, a time in which she has seven assists and three goals.