© Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Five months out from the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and the United States women’s national team appears undecided on its center-back situation. Three players are battling for two positions. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski rotated his pairings in the recent SheBelieves Cup — Alana Cook and Becky Sauerbrunn against Canada; Cook and Naomi Girma against Japan; Girma and Sauerbrunn against Brazil.
Of this trio, Girma is the most junior. At 22, she is three years younger than Cook. She is also the least experienced, with 14 caps to Sauerbrunn’s 214. However, over the last few months, Girma has made a strong case for being the first defender Andonovski writes down on his team sheet when the World Cup begins. The question is: Will she be?
There were times in the SheBelieves Cup where the U.S. leaned on its back line, particularly in the 1-0 win over Japan. Japan dictated play early, then attacked in waves in the second half, searching relentlessly for an equalizer. The Americans required a…
