Canada's Sinclair scores 60th career NWSL goal to lead Portland over Racing Louisville FC
CBC Sports | Posted: April 23, 2023 5:02 AM | Last Updated: April 24, 2023
Thorns attacker becomes 2nd player in league history to hit mark
Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair became the second player in National Women's Soccer League history to hit 60 career goals on Saturday night, scoring just two minutes into the Portland Thorns' 2-0 win over visiting Racing Louisville FC.
The 60-goal club added another member within the hour when NJ/NY Gotham FC attacker Lynn Williams scored at the 80-minute mark in a 1-0 win over the North Carolina Courage.
Williams tied Sinclair at 59 goals last Saturday in a 2-0 win over the Orlando Pride, and had first crack at reaching the 60-goal plateau on Saturday night when the NJ/NY Gotham FC game began at 7:30 p.m. ET, three hours ahead of Portland's start time.
A weather delay due to lightning strikes in the New Jersey area halted the game after a scoreless half, which opened the door for Sinclair on the West Coast.
The Burnaby, B.C., native wasted no time breaking the tie with Williams and scoring her first of the season, mere minutes after NJ/NY Gotham FC resumed their match after a lengthy delay on the East Coast.
Portland's leading scorer Sophia Smith rushed up the wing, firing a pass into the middle that midfielder Crystal Dunn smartly let go through her legs to the Canadian striker in full stride, and Sinclair took care of the rest.
WATCH | Sinclair becomes 2nd player to score 60 career NWSL goals:
The 39-year-old trails only Sam Kerr's 77 career tallies in league history. The 29-year-old Australian has been playing for Chelsea FC since 2020 after a seven-year career in the NWSL from 2013 to 2019.
Sinclair scored all 60 goals with the Thorns across 160 matches since 2013.
Morgan Weaver added a goal for Portland just before half, and the Thorns held on to improve to a league-best 3-0-1, with Racing Louisville FC falling to 0-1-3.