USWNT vs. Portugal: Megan Rapinoe says USA ‘exactly where we want to

U.S. women’s national team star Megan Rapinoe said her team is anxious but up for the challenge in Tuesday’s decisive Women’s World Cup match against Portugal, a game in which a spot in the round of 16 is on the line.

“I think, of course, there’s a little bit of anxiousness any time there’s a result that needs to be had,” Rapinoe said ahead of the encounter. “But I think that’s exciting. I think everybody knows that, too. Everybody’s like, ‘Okay, we have to perform and we have to perform better to get this result.’ I think that is something that always gets passed down through the generations of this team. We go into these moments like, ‘Hell yeah. This is exactly where we want to be.'”

Though the USWNT picked up a 3-0 win over Vietnam to kick off their World Cup campaign, their performances so far have been imperfect. The attack has struggled to create meaningful chances, which was particularly costly during the team’s 1-1 draw against the Netherlands last week. The dropped points mean the reigning champions have yet to qualify for the round of 16 but can do so with a win or a draw against Portugal.

Head coach Vlatko Andonovski will have a well-rested group of players to choose from…