The United States women's national team has suffered another cruel injury blow ahead of its showdown with world champions Spain, with Manchester City midfielder Sam Coffey ruled out of October's two friendlies.
U.S. Soccer confirmed on Monday that Coffey will not report for the October international window after picking up an injury in Manchester City's 4-2 Women's Super League victory over Arsenal on Sunday. She will remain at her club for ongoing assessment and rehabilitation.
Injury strikes at the worst possible time
Coffey
, 27, started the match for City against the Gunners and was substituted off in the 70th minute with what has not yet been officially diagnosed. The midfielder then posted a series of photos on Instagram on Monday that included a picture of her left ankle in a protective boot, telling supporters she would "be back real soon."
The timing is particularly frustrating for both club and country. Coffey has only just fought her way back into the national team picture after missing the previous camp through injury, earning her recall from head coach Emma Hayes thanks to strong early-season form with City in England's top flight.
Her absence leaves a significant hole in the USWNT's midfield plans for what was supposed to be a high-profile measuring-stick doubleheader against the world's number one-ranked side.
Girma blow compounds Hayes' headache
Coffey is not the first name to fall by the wayside. She joins Chelsea center back Naomi Girma as key absentees from Hayes' original 26-player roster for the Spain matches, with both players forced to withdraw after initially being named.
Like Coffey, Girma plies her trade in the Women's Super League, meaning the two England-based stars have been denied their homecoming. Utah Royals defender Kate Del Fava earned her first senior call-up on Sunday as Girma's replacement, capping a stellar NWSL campaign with a place among the senior ranks.
It is a familiar frustration for international coaches, who watch their star players limp off in club duty days before major camps. The England camp has felt the same pain this week — Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott was ruled out of the Three Lions' October fixtures with a quadriceps injury after just 70 minutes against Croatia.
Howell earns her chance
Jaelin Howell, the Gotham FC midfielder, has been called up to replace Coffey on the training camp roster, as confirmed by U.S. Soccer's official announcement on October 5.
Howell, 26, has six career USWNT caps and one international goal — a strike in a 9-1 win over Uzbekistan back in April 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. Her most recent cap came in the final match of 2025, when she came on as a late substitute against Italy in Fort Lauderdale.
A consistent starter for Gotham, Howell currently ranks third in the National Women's Soccer League in fouls drawn, interceptions and tackles won — exactly the kind of combative profile Hayes may value against Spain's technically elite midfield. Her debut came on November 27, 2020, as a late substitute against the Netherlands, and she remains one of the first players born after the 1999 World Cup triumph to earn a full senior cap.
As Equalizer Soccer noted, Howell offers genuine midfield depth rather than a like-for-like replacement, and her domestic form suggests she is ready to seize this unexpected opportunity.
Spain await: the biggest test of the cycle
The United States will face Spain on Sunday, October 10 at Audi Field in Washington D.C., before heading north for a rematch at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania on October 13.
The fixtures were meant to be a genuine examination of where the USWNT stands against the reigning World Cup winners. Spain arrive having already qualified for the 2027 Women's World Cup, while the U.S. are still building toward qualifying in Texas under Hayes, who has been focused on reestablishing connections and evaluating players ahead of the new cycle.
Hayes said this camp would be about "reestablishing connections after a long break" while putting competitive lineups on the field in front of packed stadiums. Losing two of her most important defensive midfielders before a ball has been kicked was not part of the plan.
Beyond the Final Whistle verdict: Sam Coffey's withdrawal is a real blow for the USWNT's ambitions against Spain — but the boot on her Instagram post at least suggests this is a setback rather than a catastrophe. With Jaelin Howell's NWSL form earning her a second chance and Kate Del Fava getting her first, Hayes will hope the replacements write their own headlines. Can the depleted USWNT still measure up against the world champions? Tell us how you see the Spain doubleheader playing out.
