U.S. women’s national team head coach Vlatko Andonovski has said Rose Lavelle and Megan Rapinoe will both begin the World Cup on minutes restrictions as they ease back following injuries.
The news was better on Julie Ertz, though, with the coach saying the midfielder is at 100 percent and has no restrictions.
None of the trio played in the team’s send-off match against Wales earlier this month.
Lavelle has been battling a knee injury that has sidelined her since April, while Rapinoe hasn’t played since she left OL Reign’s game against Kansas City on June 10 with a calf issue.
Ertz, meanwhile, has been battling a thigh issue at various points in the past two months.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of his team’s World Cup opener against Vietnam, Andonovski said that both Rapinoe and Lavelle would be eased into action as the tournament progresses.
“Rose actually has been really good, she’s trained with the team now for a good three weeks, and off and on she trained with us before that,” Andonovski said. “She’s ready to play and we’re not going to force a lot of minutes from the beginning. We’ll ease everything up as we move on.”
With Lavelle sidelined, Ashley Sanchez appears a likely candidate to start against Vietnam. Newcomer Savannah DeMelo is also an option for the USWNT at the No. 10 position.
Rapinoe, meanwhile, is expected to be used as a bench option for the USWNT even if fully fit, with Trinity Rodman, Alyssa Thompson and Lynn Williams potential starters at wide forward with Sophia Smith a lock starter on the other side.
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