Canadian soccer great Christine Sinclair’s pro career ends as Portland Thorns eliminated from NWSL playoffs

Rose Lavelle’s stoppage-time goal secured a thrilling 2-1 victory for Gotham FC over the Portland Thorns, propelling them to the semifinals of the National Women’s Soccer League playoffs. Gotham, the reigning NWSL champions, will now face the Washington Spirit in the upcoming weekend after the Spirit defeated Bay FC 2-1 in extra time in the quarterfinals.

The match marked the final NWSL appearance for Thorns forward Christine Sinclair, who announced her retirement after 12 seasons with the club. A record-breaking crowd of 15,540 fans packed Red Bull Arena to witness the intense showdown. Gotham, with a season record of 17-4-5, secured the third seed, while the Thorns, who struggled towards the end of the season, clinched the final eighth seed after a crucial victory over Angel City in the last regular-season match.

The game saw Sophia Smith, who represented the United States at the Olympics, scoring for the Thorns in the 43rd minute, only to be ruled offside. In a pivotal moment in the second half, a video review was conducted to determine a potential handball by Portland’s Becky Sauerbrunn in the box, which could have resulted in a penalty for Gotham. However, the decision did not go in favor of the New York-based team.

Tierna Davidson opened the scoring for Gotham in the 67th minute with her first goal of the season, converting a free kick delivered by Lavelle. Portland responded swiftly, with rookie Reilyn Turner finding the equalizer with a header off a set piece in the 75th minute. Despite Morgan Weaver’s near-miss hitting the post, it was Lavelle who emerged as the hero, netting the winning goal in stoppage time.

Reflecting on her late heroics, Lavelle expressed her satisfaction, stating, “It’s always nice to score in stoppage time so you don’t have to go into overtime.” Sinclair, a legend in women’s soccer, leaves behind a remarkable legacy with the Thorns, having contributed to three NWSL championships and scoring a club-record 65 regular-season goals.

The Orlando Pride, who clinched the Shield as the top seed, will face the Kansas City Current in the other semifinal matchup. The NWSL championship is scheduled to take place on November 23 at Kansas City’s CPKC Stadium, promising an exciting conclusion to the season.