Carson, Calif. — With the World Cup less than a month away, the U.S. women's national soccer team is hoping injury issues are behind it.

Three certain selections were ruled out before the roster was unveiled last week, and as the two-time defending champions opened training camp, two key players Tuesday expressed varying degrees of optimism about regaining their fitness and form in time for the July 22 opener against Vietnam.

Rose Lavelle and Megan Rapinoe, who each scored in the 2019 final against the Netherlands, have been nursing knee and calf injuries, respectively. Coach Vlatko Andonovski said last week that both will receive playing time in the July 9 tuneup against Wales in San Jose.

On Tuesday, each player addressed their status during the team's media day at Dignity Health Sports Park. While Rapinoe said her ailment was "quite minor," Lavelle was a bit reticent.

"It's coming along," she said. "It's obviously been really frustrating. . . . Timeline-wise, it wasn't ideal."

Lavelle, a clever midfielder in the prime of her career, has not played for the national team or her NWSL club, Seattle-based OL Reign, since a U.S. friendly April 8 against Ireland in Austin.

As a precaution, the U.S. staff held her out of the next match, April 11 against Ireland. A month later, OL Reign Coach Laura Harvey said Lavelle had suffered a setback in her recovery. Her only two NWSL appearances this season came between March 26 and April 1.

"I think I'll be good to go" for the start of the World Cup, said Lavelle, 28, whose career has been interrupted several times by hamstring injuries. "We have to be cautious and smart. I hate having to be patient with these things, but, obviously, it's for the best."

Soon to turn 38 — and in what's expected to be the final major tournament of her standout career — Rapinoe will not be as front and center (at least on the field) as she was in the past three tournaments. Nonetheless, with probable starter Mallory Swanson sidelined with a ruptured knee tendon, Rapinoe will become a key reserve and spot starter on the left wing.

"Not amazing timing," she said of the injury suffered in the seventh minute of OL Reign's June 7 match against the Kansas City Current. "It's nothing I'm worried about for the start of the tournament. It feels like (the opener is) here right now because we're doing all this (with media) and coming to camp. But we have a little bit of time, and we'll have quite a bit of time down in New Zealand before we actually get going."

In addition to Swanson, who was hurt in the April 4 match against Ireland, top defender Becky Sauerbrunn withdrew from consideration two weeks ago because of a lingering foot injury.

Attacker Catarina Macario, one of the top young players in the world, was also ruled out after not recovering in time from an ACL injury suffered about a year ago with French club Olympique Lyonnais.

World Cup veterans Christen Press, Tobin Heath and Abby Dahlkemper were never in the mix for roster selection because of long-term injuries.

The U.S. team will travel to Santa Barbara, Calif., this week for team bonding and other preparations before accelerating workouts in the San Francisco Bay Area ahead of the July 9 friendly. That night, the delegation will fly to Auckland.

Captain decision

In Sauerbrunn's absence, the U.S. team needs a World Cup captain. Andonovski said he has made his selection but wasn't ready to reveal it. He planned to tell the players Tuesday night.

Judging by who was given prominent roles during media day (in a news conference as opposed to roundtable settings), Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and Lindsey Horan appear to be the top candidates. Because Rapinoe is not a full-time starter, that leaves Morgan or Horan as the likely choice.

Goalkeeper choices

After rotating Alyssa Naeher and Casey Murphy as the starting goalkeeper for some time, Andonovski said he will create a definitive depth chart. Given her experience in the 2019 World Cup and 2021 Olympics, Naeher seems like the clear front-runner.

"We're going to have to keep the rhythm of number one and keep them engaged throughout the whole tournament," Andonovski said.

He did not rule out, though, using a second keeper at some point.

"There may be a chance to see another goalkeeper at least in one of the games, just so we can have someone ready for the worst-case scenario," Andonovski said.

Murphy is entering her first major tournament. The third goalkeeper is the Washington Spirit's Aubrey Kingsbury (one U.S. appearance).