Crystal Dunn, Lynn Williams stay hot in NWSL Golden Boot race

The NWSL Golden Boot race heated up over the weekend, with Lynn Williams and Crystal Dunn both scoring to take a share of the lead.

Four players sit tied atop the Golden Boot leaderboard with five goals so far: Williams, Dunn, Ashley Hatch and Alex Morgan, all of whom feature for the U.S. women’s national team — Williams, Hatch and Morgan as forwards, Dunn as a defender.

Morgan scored her fifth of the season in bizarre fashion in a 3-0 win against the Houston Dash. At 93 seconds into the match, it also was the fastest of her NWSL career.

Alex Morgan scores in 93 seconds 😱

It's the fastest goal of her @NWSL career 💥 pic.twitter.com/YrO9BTrntc

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) May 21, 2023

Dunn’s tally was just one of four goals that the Portland Thorns scored in their win against the Chicago Red Stars.

“It was an incredible game. It was a collective win. Our team is at our best when we’re having fun,” Dunn said. “And today really showed that. We got back to our joy, we got back to playing like us.

“The running joke is I’m scoring the same exact goal. Teams clearly think I’m not good enough to be marked in the box. They keep leaving me open and that’s just fine.”

The moves from Sugita, the execution from Dunn 👌

Crystal's co-league leading fifth goal of the season pic.twitter.com/bCWeoR0hY2

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 21, 2023

Williams helped Gotham FC to the top of the table with her goal, which came in a 4-1 win against OL Reign. It was the third she has scored on her birthday in her career – the most of any NWSL player.

The hot start to the season represents a huge turnaround for the squad, which finished last season in last place in the standings, and for Williams, who missed last season with a hamstring injury.

“I’m not surprised at all,” Williams told CBS Sports at halftime with Gotham up 3-0. “I feel everybody else is surprised but we’re not.”