Emma Hayes Benches Rose Lavelle in Tactical Switch

When USWNT coach Emma Hayes announced the squad for the all-important gold medal match against Brazil at the Paris Olympics, the response was alarm and bewilderment. Even though the Englishwoman has been consistent in her efforts to change as little as possible in her team, Lavelle’s name was missing from her lineup, leading many to conclude that the midfielder had suffered an injury. However, sources inside the squad confirmed that such was not the case and that Hayes had benched the star player for purely tactical reasons. Instead, Korbin Albert, who scored a crucial group-stage goal in the Australians’ match, was listed among the starters, suggesting that Hayes might be searching for fresh dynamism up front.

In that sense, the decision resonates with the move that she announced before the match with Germany, substituting Lavelle with Lynn Williams. The fans seem to be quite perplexed and unhappy about this unexpected turn of events; the comments indicate significant discontent about the lack of one of the team’s best players in such an important game.