Megan Rapinoe is out of the USA's starting lineup for the Women's World Cup semifinal and nobody knows why

AP Photo/Francisco Seco

Megan Rapinoe has been the best player for the Americans so far at the Women's World Cup, but absent from the starting lineup of Tuesday's semifinal.

• Megan Rapinoe will not start for the United States in their semifinal match against England at the Women's World Cup.
• Some believe Rapinoe's absence from the lineup is due to injury, while others believe it was a tactical decision.
• Regardless of the reasons why, Rapinoe being out of the lineup leaves the United States without one of their best offensive weapons in their biggest match of the World Cup thus far.
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When the United States faces off against England in the Women's World Cup semifinal on Tuesday, one player will be surprisingly absent from the Americans' starting lineup: Megan Rapinoe.

After netting four goals in the teams previous two games, and capturing the hearts of American soccer fans in the process, Rapinoe was shockingly left off of the United States' lineup card for the semifinal.

Fans were quick to question the decision, as Rapinoe has easily been the most dominant player on the team thus far in the tournament. Making the matter more perplexing was that Rapinoe was not even warming up with the team.

To some, Rapinoe's lack of warm-up seemed to indicate an injury. If she was out of the starting lineup but planning to come in as a substitute later in the game, she would still have been out on the field before the game.

ESPN's Julie Foudy noted that Rapinoe had tape on her right leg on Monday, further indicating a possible injury.

But there were others that believed the decision was a tactical one made by American manager Jill Ellis. As SB Nation's Kim McCauley wrote, while Rapinoe is as talented an offensive weapon as the Americans have, she could be seen as a defensive liability, especially against the specific challenges that England present.

But the most perplexing aspect of the entire ordeal was the fact that a clear explanation wasn't given for Rapinoe's absence. According to Kevin Baxter at the Los Angeles Times, a team spokesman said he couldn't disclose the reason for Rapinoe's benching - a departure from what had been the norm with lineup changes earlier in the tournament.

Rapinoe has carried the United States through their first two matches of the knockout round. Should things go awry for the Americans against England, fans will be demanding answers.

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