England lose Unitt for finals

England will be without left-back Rachel Unitt for UEFA Women's EURO 2013 after the Birmingham City LFC defender was ruled out for the rest of the year with a knee injury.

The 30-year-old, capped more than 100 times, was hurt in an FA WSL Cup match against Lincoln City LFC on Sunday and scans confirmed she has ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament. Unitt's absence follows that of another left-back, Claire Rafferty of Chelsea LFC, who has already had her season cut short by a similar problem.

Arsenal LFC's Stephanie Houghton has been Hope Powell's first choice in the left-sided position over the last year but the manager now has until 17 June, when she names her squad, to settle on a back-up. England play two friendlies, at home to Japan on 26 June and away to Sweden on 4 July, before the finals begin. They meet Spain, Russia and France in Group C in Linkoping from 12 July.