The United States women’s soccer team is playing its biggest game in years, and it will do so without its heart-and-soul player — at least to start the game.
Roughly an hour before Team USA’s World Cup semifinal showdown with England, it was revealed Megan Rapinoe wouldn’t be in the starting lineup with a trip to the final on the line.
Rapinoe has been sensational to this point in the tournament, scoring a pair of goals in each of the Americans’ two knockout stage wins to this point. Christen Press will start in Rapinoe’s place in the starting 11.
The decision was met with, well, not much excitement from US soccer fans.
So Twitter is losing its mind right now over Rapinoe not starting…
— Richie 👀 @jorriss@techhub.social (@Jorriss) July 2, 2019
So why is my girl Megan Rapinoe starting off on the pine today. I got questions that need answers dammit #USWNT
— Rello (@Jrobinson912) July 2, 2019
https://twitter.com/nahhnelson/status/1146123577835569152
So, what gives? According to reports, there’s been no mention of an injury, and the decision from head coach Jill Ellis isn’t disciplinary. Instead, this decision appears to be strictly tactical.
Should have mentioned that England's right-sided attack with Lucy Bronze and Nikita Parris is the biggest US concern. BUT: I'm not a huge fan of tailoring your team to the opponent; Rapinoe has scored all 4 US goals in the knockout rounds, and Press has a subpar big-game history.
— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) July 2, 2019
https://twitter.com/lgbtqfc/status/1146114822402166784
It’s a risky decision, but if it pays off, Ellis will look like a genius.
UPDATE (2:35 p.m. ET): USA soccer legend Julie Foudy isn’t buying the “tactical” decision.
This is not tactical. Rapinoe not even warming up on sideline. She had tape on right leg yesterday. https://t.co/LBNJeHpeQ0
— Julie Foudy (@JulieFoudy) July 2, 2019
Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl added more context to the injury talk, and while Rapinoe was on the field for warmups, she didn’t go through drills and could be seen standing on the sideline.
Megan Rapinoe update: She's standing to the side of #USWNT warmups, clapping to teammates for encouragement. Not participating in warmups, but cleats are on.
— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) July 2, 2019
