By ANNE M. PETERSON AP Sports Writer
ORLANDO, Fla. — Megan Rapinoe is set to return for the United States in the SheBelieves Cup after missing the team’s recent trip to New Zealand because of an ankle injury.
Rapinoe has made 197 appearances for the United States and she could reach 200 during the tournament, which begins when the U.S. faces Canada on Thursday (4 p.m., HBO Max) in Orlando, Florida.
Thirteen American women have reached the 200-game milestone. Alex Morgan was the most recent, making her 200th appearance in a match against Germany in November. She will be honored before Thursday’s match.
Japan plays Brazil to open the round-robin tournament at Exploria Stadium, followed by the U.S. game against Canada. The tournament moves to Nashville on Sunday, with the Americans facing Japan followed by Brazil against Canada.
The final matches will be next week in Frisco, Texas. Canada plays Japan before the United States meets Brazil. The winner is determined by points.
Rapinoe and Morgan are among the 23 players on the U.S. roster for the annual event. Defender Tierna Davidson, who is coming back to the team after an ACL injury, is training with the team but will not play in the matches.
Coach Vlatko Andonovski continues to tweak his roster and look at different combinations as the United States prepares for this summer’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Sophia Smith, the U.S. Soccer Player of the Year, is still recovering from a foot injury and is not on the roster for this event. Catarina Macario is rehabbing from an ACL injury but is expected to join her club team in Lyon later this month. Smith and Macario were also absent from the team’s training camp in New Zealand last month.
“It will show us where the team is now, but I don’t think it will be a real parameter of where the team is gonna be 5½ months from now. Because I know we’re going to try different things, and test different combinations of players. I’m sure…
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