The United States Women’s National Team defeated England 2-1 on Tuesday to move on to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final for the third consecutive time, and they did so without the help of star forward Megan Rapinoe.
Rapinoe’s absence from the US lineup caused plenty of concern ahead of the team’s critical matchup with the Lionesses. Following the win, the 33-year-old revealed she’s been dealing with a hamstring injury that has her labeled as “day-to-day.”
“My hamstring is day-to-day, but I feel like I’ll be ready for the final,” Rapinoe told Karina LeBlanc of FOX. “When you’re on the bench you need to be hyped for the team and give them energy and get those vibes out there. We dug deep again. This was the moment we displayed our depth. We had injuries, people were tired, and had little rest, and that’s where the depth comes from. Everyone stepped up and they were ready for their moment.”
With four days of rest ahead of the World Cup Final, Rapinoe noted she expects to be good to go as the US will need her help in its biggest game yet. The USWNT will face the winner of Sweden-Netherlands, who are set to play at 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
The Woman’s World Cup Final will take place Sunday at 11 a.m. ET.