Brazilian attacking midfielder Adriana has been dropped from the Olympic team that will compete in Tokyo. On Thursday in Portland, Oregon, where Brazil are finalizing their Olympic preparations, the Corinthians athlete sprained her left knee in training. To fill the void, Pia Sundhage utilized the technology to call up the half-Angelina from OL Reign.
An MRI scan on Friday verified Adriana’s injuries, triggering the decision. At the age of 24, the Corinthians player has been knocked out of a big competition for the second time.
It is a disappointing blow for her personally and for Brazil as well, being a key member of the squad.
Adriana was selected for the 2019 World Cup in France, but due to a knee ligament injury, she was replaced by Luana, a defensive midfielder.
Angelina, joined OL Reign this season after defending Palmeiras in 2020 and Santos for the previous three years. Pia Sundhage was only called up to sit on the bench for the final friendly against Russia and Canada in June.
The Brazilian player played for OL Reign in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) on Friday, entering the second half of a 2-0 loss against Houston Dash. On Monday, Angelina, Marta, and Debinha will join the women’s team in Portland, bringing the total number of participants for the Tokyo Olympics to 22.
While the absence of Adriana would be missed once again, 21-year-old Angelina will relish the chance to impress and she’ll be eager to show off her skills at the global stage. It’ll be interesting to see how she performs in the competition.
