Crystal Dunn vs. Jenna Nighswonger: The emerging battle for a starting spot as the USWNT’s left back

The U.S. women’s national team found plenty of success at the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup, and not only by lifting the trophy on Sunday. The tournament served as a testing ground for players old and new and after experimentation led by interim head coach Twila Kilgore, a handful of talents stepped up to create an uber-competitive race for roster spots — and starting roles — at the Olympics four months from now.

Few positional battles are more emblematic of Kilgore’s successful tinkering than the one at left back, which is now officially being contested by Crystal Dunn and Jenna Nighswonger. The 31-year-old Dunn has long been the USWNT’s go-to in the position and for good reason — her elite versatility means she fits in well as a wide player with a strong ability to defend and attack. One of the Gold Cup’s big breakouts, though, is the 23-year-old Nighswonger, who seized every opportunity that came her way and feels ready to challenge for a role bigger than Dunn’s understudy.

The pair almost evenly split minutes through the six-game run to the podium — Nighswonger played 254 minutes over four games, just 17 minutes more than Dunn’s 237 over three games. Their performances at the Gold Cup show a matchup that’s neck-to-neck, but one that also highlights each player’s strengths in a way that could afford incoming head coach Emma Hayes some flexibility at the Olympics and beyond. Complicating matters even further is the fact that the two are teammates in the NWSL at NJ/NY Gotham where Nighswonger enjoyed a breakout rookie season as Gotham won the title, while Dunn headlined an all-star cast of offseason acquisitions.

Here’s a closer look at each player’s Gold Cup showing.

Nighswonger’s attacking edge

The reigning NWSL rookie of the year was incredibly effective from an attacking perspective during the Gold Cup and outdid Dunn in a handful of corresponding categories. Nighswonger created seven chances while Dunn did not create any during the Gold Cup and though neither player had an assist, Nighswonger edged out Dunn 0.75 to 0.22 for expected assists. The gap between them is wider when it comes to shots and goals — Nighswonger had two goals (one of which was a penalty) from seven shots and 1.18 expected goals, while Dunn did not post a single shot.

Nighswonger was also more active on the flank than Dunn was, taking 250 touches over the course of the tournament while Dunn posted 193. The newcomer also had 160 passes to the veteran’s 126, while both had nearly the same passing accuracy — Nighswonger’s was 75.6% while Dunn’s was 75.4%. Nighswonger was posting high numbers when it came to passing accuracy in the final third with 85.7%, well ahead of Dunn’s 64.3%.

Dunn’s defensive strengths

The veteran had her younger counterpart beat in a handful of defensive categories, though this one is tighter than the attacking contest. Dunn won 55.6% of her tackles while Nigswonger won 50%, while Dunn won 61.5% of her aerial duels, much higher than Nighswonger’s 50%. The pair were almost even in a couple of statistics, though — Nighswonger had 14 recoveries to Dunn’s 13, while Dunn barely edged out Nighswonger for all duels. Dunn won 60.6% of her duels, while Nighswonger won 60%.

Dunn’s advantage partially stems from the fact that she’s much more experienced as a defender than Nighswonger is. The 23-year-old was drafted by Gotham a year ago as a forward and transitioned to outside back pretty early on in the season, while Dunn’s been playing that role for the USWNT for several years now. It’s likely an area of improvement for Nighswonger this year for both club and country, but ensures that the pair actually have different aspects in their tactical profiles that could see Dunn get the nod in the short-term on days the U.S. prefers defense and experience.

All eyes on the NWSL

The USWNT have only a handful of games to go until the Olympics, so the NWSL seems destined to play a big role in how Hayes might view these two players come summertime. The battle becomes more fascinating when one considers that Dunn and Nighswonger both might  have to find a way to co-exist at Gotham.

Both players missed a large chunk of Gotham’s preseason while competing at the Gold Cup and so there are few clues to gather ahead of their first game of the season on Friday. If a preseason roster announcement is anything to go by, though, the fact that Nigswonger is listed as a defender and that Dunn is listed as a forward could reveal how head coach Juan Carlos Amoros plans to utilize both players.

Though Dunn may have lost the attacking contest to Nigswonger at the Gold Cup, that’s not an implication that she’s an ineffective offensive talent. She made a name for herself as an attacker and continued to play in such roles during her NWSL career, including for the Portland Thorns last season. Dunn played as a central midfielder for much of 2023, scoring five goals from 35 shots and 20 shots on target. She also ranked in the top 15 for chances created in the NWSL in 2023 with 21 chances.

Gotham’s acquisition of Dunn seems like it might be offensively-motivated, considering the team’s big struggles of the 2023 season. The reigning champions were third-to-last in the NWSL for goals scored in the regular season with 25, relying on a sturdy back line to lift them to their first NWSL championship. Between the acquisitions of Dunn and fellow USWNT star Rose Lavelle as well as the September arrival of Spain World Cup winner Esther Gonazlez, Gotham seem intent on improving in that area for 2024.

Doing so might provide some clues for Dunn and Nighswonger’s national team prospects this year — but it might also clog an already deep pool of attacking talent for the USWNT, especially on the wings.