An emotional Trinity Rodman needed assistance to leave the field during the first half of the Washington Spirit‘s emphatic 4-0 victory over Monterrey in the Concacaf W Champions Cup group stage on Wednesday night.
The U.S. forward went down after trying to make a tackle near the sideline. Athletic trainers helped her to her feet, but Rodman was visibly unable to put weight on her right leg, leading to her being escorted off the field in distress.
After being substituted for Brittany Ratcliffe in the 41st minute, Rodman was later seen using crutches as she headed to the locker room during halftime.
Following the match, she was observed on the field wearing a full-length knee brace and continuing to use crutches. Spirit coach Adrián González mentioned that there was no immediate update on her condition but confirmed that she would undergo scans the next day.
With this win, the Spirit topped Group B and secured a spot in the Champions Cup semifinals.
Rodman has faced multiple setbacks recently due to a back injury, restricting her to just one appearance for the U.S. women’s national team since contributing to their gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Earlier on Wednesday, Rodman was named to the USWNT roster for the first time since April.
U.S. head coach Emma Hayes expressed enthusiasm about having a healthy Rodman available, noting that the forward had been out for four months as she worked to address her back issues. Since returning, the 23-year-old has scored seven goals in 13 matches for the Spirit.
“I’m thrilled to have Trin back with the team, but having her healthy is what’s crucial,” Hayes stated during a press conference.
“When she returned in April, she believed she was in a good spot, but after the match in L.A., she felt the weight of her unresolved back problems. … She’s among the world’s top players, and we’ve been without her for more than a year.”
The U.S. team is set to face Portugal on October 23 in Chester, Pennsylvania, and again on October 26 in East Hartford, Connecticut.