San Diego Wave forward Alex Morgan will miss Saturday's National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) match against Bay FC due to an ankle injury, Wave head coach Casey Stoney confirmed on Thursday.
Morgan sustained the injury in the final minutes of the Wave's recent 1-0 loss to the Orlando Pride. The incident occurred as she challenged for a loose ball in a goal-mouth scramble, resulting in an awkward fall that led to her grabbing her left ankle. Despite eventually standing up and limping off the field, the injury has ruled her out for the upcoming match and will be assessed on a week-by-week basis moving forward.
The timing of the injury is crucial as it comes less than 100 days before the 2024 Olympics, where Morgan, who is set to turn 35 before the Games, aims to represent the United States women's national team for the fourth time in her career.
Initially left off the USWNT's Concacaf W Gold Cup roster earlier this year, Morgan later joined the team as an injury replacement and has since solidified her position as the preferred center forward. She has started in the last five games, contributing to the USWNT's victories in the Gold Cup and the recent SheBelieves Cup, with a total of 123 career goals for the national team.
The USWNT is scheduled to reconvene in late May for two friendly matches against South Korea in June, marking the debut of new head coach Emma Hayes.
Morgan's absence from the upcoming NWSL match is a setback for the San Diego Wave, as she has been a key player for the team since its inception in 2022. In the inaugural season, Morgan had an impressive performance, scoring 15 goals and providing two assists in 17 games. Last year, she continued to be a vital asset, contributing seven goals and five assists to help the Wave secure the NWSL Shield as the top team in the regular season.
