Akers To Miss Today’s World Cup Game Against Denmark

Michele Akers, among the world’s top soccer players, will not play for the United States against Denmark today because of a mild concussion suffered at the women’s World Cup opener.

Akers also banged up her right knee as she bumped into a Chinese player when trying to headclear in the penalty area after a Chinese corner only 6 minutes into the game.

The defending world champions led 3-1, but China rallied with two goals in the last 16 minutes to earn a 3-3 tie in their group C opener Tuesday.

“Michelle is not feeling very well,” U.S. team spokesman Aaron Heifetz said Wednesday. “She didn’t train today, she just rested. She’s out for the Denmark game, probably also against Australia on Saturday.”

Akers, 29, has bounced back from Epstein-Barr syndrome - the condition often called chronic fatigue syndrome - to score 12 goals this year and is the U.S. team’s all-time leading scorer with 82 career goals in 88 international games.

Tiffeny Milbrett is likely to start up front today.