Big blow for USWNT as Tierna Davidson and Jaedyn Shaw will miss Olympic group stage finale against Australia

Tierna Davidson suffered a knock during the first half of the USWNT's win over Germany on Sunday, forcing her out of the game with Emily Sonnett coming on in her place.

The USWNT central defender will now miss Wednesday's group stage match against Australia, U.S. Coach Emma Hayes confirmed Tuesday.

The injury leaves the U.S. without two players for the final group stage match. Davidson will join the sidelined Jaedyn Shaw, who has yet to play at the tournament due to her own leg injury. Shaw will miss her third straight Olympics match.

With Davidson's injury, the U.S. will likely start Sonnett next to Naomi Girma in defense, with alternate Emily Sams expected to be brought into the 18-player matchday squad. Fellow alternate Croix Bethune has previously taken Shaw's place in the U.S. team.

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

The U.S. has already booked its place in the knockout rounds, and will almost certainly top the group due to their wins over Zambia and Germany. Should they do that, they'll face the second-best team from Group C in the Paris Games on Aug. 3