In a tuneup match against Brazil, veteran U.S. National Team member Abby Wambach sustained a broken leg. She has had surgery which her doctor described as having “no complication“. The rehabilitation for Ms Wambach has been estimated to be a year to return to her level of play.

Meanwhile, the National Team has the daunting task of compensating for the loss of one of the team leaders and reliable scorers. Abby Wambach’s place on the team roster will be filled by Lauren Cheney from UCLA. Lauren Cheney will be among the group of new team members who will be defending the 2004 gold medal performance from the Olympic Games in Athens.

There has been speculation that, without Abby Wambach to anchor the front lines, the U.S. women will have to open up their offense. Their goal scoring may come from a more daring offense, which could rely on the speed and aggressiveness of their young players. The U.S. women know that there are still high expectation for them in Beijing. The young members of this team will be tested under the most competitive conditions, on one of soccer’s biggest stages. The Olympic moment could make them a better team.

Catherine Forsythe