Megan Rapinoe expects to be fit for the Women's World Cup final after missing Tuesday's semi-final win over England with a hamstring problem.
The 33-year-old was a surprise absentee from Jill Ellis' starting line-up and it only emerged after the game that Rapinoe had been carrying a hamstring injury since scoring twice against France in the quarter-final win.
Her replacement in the team, Christen Press, scored one of the goals as USA beat England 2-1 – captain Alex Morgan heading in the other – while goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher saved a late penalty from Steph Houghton.
READ : Women's World Cup: Rapinoe trains day after missing semifinal against England
USA will now play its third straight World Cup final on Sunday against either Sweden or Netherlands and Rapinoe is confident of being available.
"Just a minor hamstring strain, just kind of picked up late in the second half of the France game," she explained.
"Just tightening up a little bit towards the end before I came out. Just wasn't going to be ready for today.
"Obviously it's quick, with only the three days in between the games. It's feeling much better and I expect to be ready for the final."
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Rapinoe added that she had been badgering the medical staff to check whether she was ready to return in the build up to the England clash.
"It's definitely a process between all of us," she said.
"It's a culmination of how I feel, how it looks, what I can do. I expect with how it feels now to be ready for the final.
"As it is with these things, you have to just go day by day and see how it is.
"I'm like, 'Hi, it's me again, can you check it?' I do expect to be ready for the final. Hopefully that's the case."
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