Alexi Lalas: US women's national soccer team players deserve as much money as possible
Fox Sports soccer analyst and former U.S. men's national team player Alexi Lalas weighs in on the equal pay debate after the women's team cruises to a 13-0 victory over Thailand in the World Cup.
U.S. women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe expects to play in Sunday's World Cup final after missing the team's 2-1 semifinal victory over England Tuesday.
Rapinoe, who scored twice against France in the last eight, sent fans into a frenzy after she didn't warm up with the team ahead of the crucial game, leading to speculation she had been dropped. But she clarified that the reason she didn't make the cut was a minor hamstring injury she suffered late in the previous round.
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“It just tightened up a little bit toward the end. Just wasn't going to be ready for today,” she told reporters. “But it's feeling much better and I expect to be ready for the final.”
United States' Megan Rapinoe prepares to hug United States goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher after the Women's World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and the United States, at the Stade de Lyon, outside Lyon, France, Tuesday, July 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
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When asked about how confident she was about possibly playing Sunday, Rapinoe replied: “It's a combination of how it feels and how it looks and what I can do. I expect [with] how it feels now to be ready. As is with these things, you just have to go day by day and see how it is.”
Rapinoe was on the bench when U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher made a stunning save on Stephanie Houghton to help keep the match a one-goal game. Rapinoe said it was torture watching it.
“It's terrible. It's so stressful,” she said. “It's hard. You put everything into this game ... You have everything invested in it and no way to get rid of your anxiety.”
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Rapinoe and the Americans await the winner of the match between the Netherlands and Sweden. The U.S. will be going for their fourth World Cup title.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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