Everyone on talented US roster involved

To grasp the depth of talent on the U.S. women’s soccer team, one needed only observe the utterly unperturbed manner in which its players handled the absence Tuesday of forward Megan Rapinoe, the player who had scored all four of the Americans’ goals in their two previous knockout-stage wins.

Fans briefly freaked out when the lineup for the Americans’ World Cup semifinal against England was announced. But on the field, no one missed a beat. Life, and the march toward a second straight World Cup title, simply went on.

Eleven players make up a starting lineup, but the sheer number of worldclass players on the U.S. roster has led the coaching staff to take an unusual approach in this tournament, one in which 15 of the 23 players on the roster train and prepare between matches as if they were full-time starters.

“I have multiple starters in multiple positions,” U.S. coach Jill Ellis said after the 2-1 win over England. “When we train, everybody gets the same information, everybody gets the same attention and focus and detail from the coaching staff.”

The benefits of such an approach were on full display against England. And that depth could play a role against the Netherlands in Sunday’s final. Amid the positive vibes after the tense win, there were injury-related questions that could linger over the coming days.

The biggest will revolve around Rapinoe, who suffered a right hamstring strain in the U.S.’S quarterfinal victory against France.

On Tuesday, Rapinoe said she expected to be healthy enough to play in the final, but that will depend on how her recovery plays out. Regardless, the Americans took the speed bump in stride. Christen Press assumed Rapinoe’s spot in the lineup and, within 10 minutes of the opening whistle supplied the first goal of the match.

Press is a 30-year-old wing in the prime of her career, with 122 international appearances and 49 goals — the same total as Rapinoe — for the national team.

Press’ toolbox of skills has led some observers to wonder if she should be the team’s starter at left wing. Press, who meditates before and after every training session, said her competition with Rapinoe is healthy and described herself as someone at peace with her situation.

“Before the France game, I kind of looked in the mirror and thought, I’m so much more ready for this than I have been for any other big moment in my career, ready for whatever role, however many minutes I get,” she said. “I feel prepared. I feel confident. And it feels very good.”

Ellis’ injury issues were potentially compounded late in the match when midfielder Rose Lavelle, one of the Americans’ best players throughout the tournament, left the game with a leg injury. As she grimaced on the field, she said, “It’s my hamstring.”

Like Rapinoe, Lavelle insisted she would be OK for the final. In a sense, her absence would be an enormous loss. More than any American player, she can produce the quick bursts of creative chaos that can shred an opposing team’s defensive plans.

Yet it’s also easy to envision how Ellis might cope if Lavelle cannot recover in time. Already she has shown her trust in midfielder Sam Mewis, who was deemed good enough in the round of 16 to displace Lindsey Horan, one of the world’s best midfielders.

“I feel we have a really good, deep bench,” Ellis said. “I called upon other players, and they did a fantastic job.”

Ellis has long known the value of her team’s depth, and has worked hard not to squander it. She tells 15 players to prepare as starters — and tells all of them they might be called upon at any moment.

“When that moment comes,” she said she told them, “play like you’re going to make the difference.”