Morgan to play for USA in Women's Gold Cup

Veteran striker recalled to US squad after initially being dropped

LOS ANGELES:

Veteran striker Alex Morgan, a two-time World Cup winner with the United States, was called up Tuesday for the first-ever Women's Gold Cup after a serious injury to Mia Fishel.

Fishel, the 22-year-old Chelsea attacker, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during training on Monday, the US team said.

The injury came a day before the tournament kicked off and robs the US of a player that was expected to be a key figure in a side rebuilding in the wake of their last-16 exit at the 2023 World Cup.

The squad called up for the Gold Cup was missing the longtime mainstay but now retired Megan Rapinoe as well as Morgan, who at 34 has played 215 international matches and scored 121 goals.

"It's not how I would have liked to make the team, but ready to get to work! Praying for a speedy recovery for Mia Fishel," Morgan wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Twelve teams will compete for the first Women's Gold Cup trophy, eight of them from CONCACAF (United States, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama and Puerto Rico) and four invited teams from South America (Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Paraguay).