Chicago, Illinois - Veteran striker Alex Morgan, a two-time World Cup winner with the United States, was called up Tuesday for the first-ever Women's Gold Cup after a serious injury to Mia Fishel.

Fishel, the 22-year-old Chelsea attacker, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during training on Monday, the US soccer team said.

The injury came a day before the tournament kicked off and robs the US of a player that was expected to be a key figure in a side rebuilding in the wake of their last-16 exit at the 2023 World Cup.

The squad called up for the Gold Cup was missing the longtime mainstay but now retired Megan Rapinoe as well as Morgan, who at 34 has played 215 international matches and scored 121 goals.

Soccer Megan Rapinoe gets shot at fairy-tale ending after OL Reign advance to NWSL championship match

"Not how I would wish to come into camp but ready to get to work!" Morgan wrote on X (formerly Twitter), adding that she is "praying for a speedy recovery" for Mia Fishel.

Twelve teams will compete for the first Women's Gold Cup trophy, eight of them from CONCACAF (United States, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, and Puerto Rico) and four invited teams from South America (Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Paraguay).