Lindsey Heaps is back in the NWSL, as the longtime USWNT captain made her debut for No. 10 Denver on Saturday — wearing the armband in a 2-1 win over No. 4 Portland inside a sold-out Centennial Stadium.
Coloradoans carried the day, as Highlands Ranch native Janine Sonis pulled the Summit level after Windsor’s Sophia Wilson nailed a first-half penalty, while rookie Natalie Means scored the game-winner in the 86th minute.
Golden product Heaps signed with her hometown club in January but delayed her arrival to finish the season with OL Lyonnes, returning to the NWSL after the secondary transfer window opened.
Heaps, who played for the Thorns from 2016 to 2021 before spending the last five seasons with the French titan, praised the league she left behind.
“Everything the organization has done — the ownership, and from there down, I think we’ve just done it in such a proper way,” the 32-year-old told reporters.
“We’ve been in clubs that are very, very professional and the top of their leagues, and to see it happen here in the NWSL, it makes it very easy for us to come in and do our job.”
“We both grew up here,” Sonis said of her teammate. “I continue to pinch myself in these moments — we need to continue to deliver performances like this.”
Denver has its work cut out for it on Sunday, taking on Trinity Rodman and No. 1 Washington at 7 PM ET (Victory+).
