(Reuters) – Zambia’s starting goalkeeper Hazel Nali will not play in the Women’s World Cup due to serious knee ligament injuries, her national team said on Wednesday.
The announcement days before the tournament kicks off in Australia and New Zealand on July 20 adds another name to a long list of injuries that has prompted great concerns in the sport.
“Get well soon, Nali, we are with you,” the Zambia team said on Twitter.
Zambia, who are making their World Cup debut and start their campaign against 2011 champions Japan on July 22, are among many teams to have players ruled out of the tournament due to injury.
European champions England have lost captain Leah Williamson, Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner Beth Mead and Fran Kirby, and the United States will be without their top scorer Mallory Swanson.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York, editing by Ed Osmond)
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