FIFA WC: Rice fit after sickness bug, but England to take late call for SF
Kansas City, July 14
Declan Rice has recovered from the illness bug but England will make a late call on whether the midfielder will feature in Thursday's World Cup semi-final against Argentina.
Rice suffered with a sickness bug in the lead-up to Saturday's quarter-final victory over Norway in Miami; he was forced off at half-time following a below-par first half. He had spent three days in bed before the quarterfinal.
According to the Daily Mail Sport, the 27-year-old vice-captain is feeling much better and trained with his teammates on Monday. But Tuchel will wait before making a final decision on whether to pick him.
He has also been managing hamstring and back pain but is confident he can start when England take on the world champions in Atlanta. The midfielder, who has 78 caps, has started all but one of England's World Cup games so far, missing the 2-0 group-stage win over Panama because of an injury flare-up.
England will train for the final time before the semifinal game at their Swope Soccer Village base in Kansas City. Following the session, the squad will have an opportunity to take part in recovery activities.
Tuchel and his players will then head for the airport as they fly to Atlanta. The flight to Georgia will take around two hours, with most of the squad heading to the team hotel on arrival.
Three players will accompany Tuchel to Atlanta Stadium as they preview the World Cup semi-final, which will be the Three Lions' first meeting with Argentina in more than 20 years.
The road to the semi-finals has been far from easy for Tuchel's side and Lionel Scaloni's defending champions. The Three Lions had to dig deep to overcome Congo DR in the Round of 32, Mexico in the last 16 and Norway in the quarter-finals.
La Albiceleste, meanwhile, turned their meetings with Cabo Verde, Egypt and Switzerland into thriller, surviving extra time and sustained spells of pressure.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Really hope Rice is okay. Having been bedridden with a bug myself, I know how draining it can be. But if he's trained Monday, that's promising. England vs Argentina is going to be epic - can't wait!
Tuchel should be careful. Don't rush Rice back if he's not 100%. England have decent depth - Bellingham can step up. Argentina will be ruthless. Just look at how they scraped through their matches - they're battle-hardened. India's cricket team could take notes on managing player fitness from these football squads.
First meeting in 20 years! That's insane. Both teams have had tough knockout matches. England vs Argentina always has that extra edge. Hope Rice is fit - these are the games where experience really matters.
Honestly, I'm a bit concerned about England's journey so far. They struggled against Congo DR and Mexico - not exactly world-beaters. Argentina have that champion mentality even when not playing well. Rice's presence or absence could be decisive. India needs to have more players in top leagues to build this kind of competitive depth.
Two-hour flight to Atlanta sounds manageable. It's the recovery and preparation that matters more. Tuchel is known for his tactical flexibility - even without Rice, he might have a plan. This could be a semifinal for the ages! 🔥
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