US shuffles lineup again and Ertz out with injury

By: Anne M. Peterson, The Associated Press Posted: 1:59 PM CDT Thursday, Jun. 20, 2019 Last Modified: 2:01 PM CDT Thursday, Jun. 20, 2019

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LE HAVRE, France - The United States was without defensive midfielder Julie Ertz because of a hip injury but the team returned to a lineup similar to the one it used in its Women's World Cup opener for the final group match Thursday night against Sweden.

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This article was published 20/06/2019 (2657 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LE HAVRE, France – The United States was without defensive midfielder Julie Ertz because of a hip injury but the team returned to a lineup similar to the one it used in its Women’s World Cup opener for the final group match Thursday night against Sweden.

Ertz, a defensive midfielder, started and scored her first World Cup goal in the team’s 3-0 victory over Chile on Sunday. She also started in the team’s tournament-opening 13-0 victory over Thailand, falling back to the defensive line because centre back Becky Sauerbrunn sat out with a minor injury.

After making seven lineup changes for the match against Chile, coach Jill Ellis went back to the front three she used in the opener: Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and Tobin Heath.

United States' Morgan Brian and Megan Rapinoe, right, celebrate after teammate Carli Lloyd scored their side's third goal during the Women's World Cup Group F soccer match between United States and Chile at Parc des Princes in Paris, France, Sunday, June 16, 2019. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Three players were making their third straight starts for the defending champions: goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, defender Abby Dahlkemper and Lindsey Horan.

Sauerbrunn was at centre back for the second straight game alongside Dahlkemper, with Kelley O’Hara on the right and Crystal Dunn on the left.

The midfield was also the same as the opener against Thailand, with Horan dropping back to defensive mid with Rose Lavelle on the left and Samantha Mewis on the right.

Carli Lloyd, who started up front against Chile and scored two goals in the victory, returned to the bench. The 36-year-old Lloyd scored a hat trick in the 2015 World Cup final victory over Japan.