05 August 2023 , 14:07
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There could be fresh hope for England fans praying for the return of Keira Walsh - after she was pictured for the first time without her leg brace.
Walsh was stretchered off 38 minutes into the game against Denmark in England's second World Cup group game, leaving teammates and fans devastated with worry.
There were fears she may have injured her anterior cruciate ligament after she could be seen telling medics on the pitch "I've done my knee" and returning to the dugouts with a leg brace on.
But the nation breathed a sigh of relief when the FA confirmed Keira had not suffered an ACL injury.
And fans were offered another glimmer of hope when it was revealed that she was undergoing an individual training programme while the Lionesses went about their usual training routine on Friday.
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Now a picture of Keira relaxing in her hotel room with best friend and fellow player, Georgia Stanway, could be further proof of a speedy recovery.
The snap, posted on Stanway's Instagram account showed Keira without her leg brace reading a book while laid on the bed.
The FA have still not confirmed the specific details of Keira's injury but did say that she had undergone scans.
Keira could be seen grabbing onto her knee and telling her teammates "get off" after she overstretched for the ball and fell to the floor in pain.
Speaking days after the injury, Stanway said she was in touch with Keira everyday and joked: "I think she was more gutted about being stretchered off in front of the whole nation than anything else to be honest."
While Man City's Laura Coombs stepped in as a substitute for Walsh when she was stretchered off, Manchester United skipper Katie Zelem made her World Cup debut to start in Walsh's place.