Just Women’s Sports is here with your daily World Cup Digest, breaking down all of the biggest storylines from each day of action in Australia and New Zealand.
Today’s top news: Christine Sinclair’s missed PK underscores larger trend
Canada captain Christine Sinclair nearly became the first person to score at six World Cup tournaments when she took a penalty kick Thursday. But she missed the spot, as Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie made the save to help Nigeria secure the 0-0 draw.
“Christine Sinclair scored many, many, many goals for this country and I’m sure the fans, the team and everyone can forgive missing a penalty kick,” Canada coach Bev Priestman said. “I think penalty kicks are a 50-50 chance and on this day Sinc didn’t score.
“Sinc has high standards and is a bit of a perfectionist but at the end of the day, this team and this country love Christine Sinclair more than anything, and so they’ll rally around her and we’ll be on and have her ready for the next game.”
But the penalty underscores a bigger trend: Through five games, there have been five penalties awarded — on a handball by Norway, a shove by Ireland, a trip by Nigeria, a trip by Costa Rica. VAR assisted in awarding the third in Switzerland’s 2-0 win against the Philippines.
AFTER A VAR REVIEW, PENALTY TO SWITZERLAND 🇨🇭 pic.twitter.com/qKW1Grp08k
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 21, 2023
It’s a trend to watch as the tournament continues.
Today’s top highlight: Philippines national anthem plays for the first time at a World Cup
The Philippines women’s national team is one of several making history in this tournament with a World Cup debut. No other team from the Phillippines, men’s or women’s, has played in a World Cup before, so the country’s national anthem was heard at the World Cup for the first time Friday.
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER 🎵
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 21, 2023
The Philippines' national anthem plays at the FIFA Women's World cup for the very first time! 🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/llwk2rN7xS
Today’s results:
- Nigeria 0, Canada 0
- Switzerland 2, Philippines 0
- Spain 3, Costa Rica 0
More World Cup news to know:
- The Philippines nearly scored a goal in its first-ever World Cup game. While an offside call disallowed the goal, the celebration is worth watching.
- USWNT midfielder Lindsey Horan and coach Vlatko Andonovski remained coy when asked if they were going to “crush” Vietnam in an echo of the team’s 13-0 win against Thailand four years ago. “There are not easy games that before you were just like, oh, this is going to be 6-0, 7-0 or whatever,” Horan said. “It’s not how it is anymore.”
- The World Cup opener almost looked easy for Spain, with Aitana Bonmati and Esther González scoring within four minutes of each other. Including a Costa Rica own goal, the team’s three goals were scored in a span of six minutes. In total, Spain levied 46 shots, 12 of which were on target, and held possession for 81% of the match.
- Zambia star midfielder Grace Chanda is out of the World Cup with an illness. According to Reuters, she has since been hospitalized for treatment. “Grace Chanda has been taken ill and unfortunately she is out of the tournament. We have done everything we can to help her, she is getting all the attention she needs but she won’t be able to take part,” team doctor Faith Chibeza said.
- Netherlands head coach Andries Jonker hit back at FIFA after a training session where the team was made to train on a cricket pitch, which he noted is “rock hard” and “dangerous” for soccer players. “It’s so dangerous considering possible injuries. And then I don’t even talk about the impact on the muscles,” he said. “We have to do something on half a pitch. … This is amateurism in its biggest shape.”
The Women’s World Cup is almost here, and Just Women’s Sports is taking a look at the tournament’s all-time leading goal scorers.
Though Alex Morgan doesn’t crack the top 10 on this list, it’s worth noting that the U.S. women’s national team forward and Michelle Akers hold the record for the most goals scored in a single World Cup match. Morgan scored five goals against Thailand at the 2019 World Cup, 28 years after Akers did so in 1991 (she also set the record for most goals scored in a tournament that year with 10).
Morgan and Megan Rapinoe each have a chance to make it onto the elite list with just one more goal at this year’s World Cup.
5. Ann-Kristin Aarønes (Norway), Carli Lloyd (USA), Heidi Mohr (Germany), Christine Sinclair (Canada) – 10
Four players have scored 10 goals in their World Cup careers, including the USWNT’s Carli Lloyd and all-time international leading goal scorer Christine Sinclair. Sinclair is the only member of this group still competing, with Lloyd retiring after the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Both Mohr and Aarønes notched impressive World Cup performances in their careers. Mohr had 10 goals in 12 matches, while Aarønes had 10 goals in 11 matches.
4. Cristiane (Brazil), Wen Sun (China), Bettina Wiegmann (Germany) – 11
Bettina Wiegmann appeared in four World Cups for Germany and was a part of the title-winning team in 2003. Cristiane represented Brazil at five World Cups from 2003-19 and always showed up on the world’s biggest stages. At the 2007 World Cup, she was voted third-best player of the tournament after scoring five goals, second only to teammate Marta.
Wen Sun earned the Golden Ball and Golden Boot at the 1999 World Cup after scoring seven goals in the tournament. In 2000, she was named FIFA Female Player of the Century alongside Akers.
3. Michelle Akers (USA) – 12
Akers stands alone with 12 goals scored in 13 World Cup matches. Akers originally set the record for most goals in a single match with five at the inaugural Women’s World Cup in 1991.
2. Birgit Prinz (Germany), Abby Wambach (USA) – 14
Birgit Prinz starred for Germany from 1994-2011, helping the team to two World Cup titles and earning the Silver Ball in 2007 as the second-best player at the tournament. She remains Germany’s top goal scorer, having scored 128 international goals in 214 appearances. Abby Wambach, the USWNT’s all-time leading goal scorer, set the record for the latest goal ever scored in a FIFA competition when she delivered the game-tying goal against Brazil in the 122nd minute of the quarterfinals of the 2011 World Cup.
1. Marta (Brazil) – 17
Topping the list of World Cup goal scorers is Brazilian legend Marta. She’s found the back of the net 17 times across 20 World Cup games through five tournaments. In comparison, it took Wambach 25 appearances to score 14 goals.
Marta, who has announced this will be her last World Cup, made her World Cup debut in 2003, netting three goals to help Brazil top their group. She’s the first player to score at five consecutive World Cups.
MARTA BREAKS THE ALL-TIME RECORD! 🇧🇷🐐
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 18, 2019
She puts Brazil on top from the penalty spot for her 17th career #FIFAWWC goal! pic.twitter.com/qmxBkpqNRX
The 2023 World Cup is almost here, and all 32 teams — from Argentina to Zambia — have released the 23-player rosters for the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
A number of big-name players will be missing after a rash of ACL injuries hit women’s soccer, among them the USWNT’s Catarina Macario, France’s Marie-Antoinette Katoto, the Netherlands’ Vivianne Miedema and England’s Beth Mead and Leah Williamson. But plenty of stars will have their chance to shine, from Australia’s Sam Kerr in her home tournament to Brazil’s Marta in her sixth and final World Cup.
Just Women’s Sports has a complete breakdown of all 32 rosters.
USWNT
Manager: Vlatko Andonovski
Key players: Naomi Girma, Sophia Smith, Alex Morgan, Julie Ertz, Crystal Dunn
The USWNT roster, announced on June 21, features some surprises and a plethora of newbies. Sophia Smith and Lynn Williams enter as the team’s two hottest forwards on a line anchored by veteran Alex Morgan. The back line will be missing Becky Sauerbrunn, leaving Naomi Girma to be the team’s defensive centerpiece in her first World Cup.
Argentina
Manager: Germán Portanova
Key players: Vanina Correa, Sophia Braun, Estefanía Banini, Paulina Gramaglia
Argentina will make its fourth World Cup appearance. The men’s team had a successful 2022, winning a World Cup title. The women’s team will be looking to advance to the knockout stage for the first time.
“It is a big inspiration, but the expectation is not the same,” striker Paulina Gramaglia told the Associated Press, comparing the objectives of Argentina’s men’s and women’s teams. “We don’t have the same foundation that they have, we are not seeking to win the trophy. We have our own goals and our context.”
Australia
Manager: Tony Gustavsson
Key players: Sam Kerr, Ellie Carpenter, Caitlin Foord, Emily Van Egmond
World Cup co-host Australia named its final 23-player roster on July 3, led by all-time leading scorer Sam Kerr. The 29-year-old forward has scored 63 goals through 120 appearances for the Matildas.
The roster features a mix of veteran and youth experience, with Clare Polkinghorne the most-capped player at 156 appearances. Clare Hunt is the only player with less than 10 caps, as Australia opted for more experience in their home World Cup.
Brazil
Manager: Pia Sundhage
Key players: Marta, Kerolin, Debinha, Andressa Alves
Superstar Marta has been included on Brazil’s World Cup roster, overcoming a left knee injury that she continues to rehab. A six-time world player of the year, she’s been to five World Cup tournaments — and scored in all five of them. She’s the first player to do so, and could make it six this time around. Marta has said this will be her last World Cup.
She’s joined by Kerolin, who has been on a tear to open up the NWSL season, as well as Debinha and Andressa Alves. There are a number of newcomers, with 11 of Brazil’s 23 players having never played in a World Cup. Star striker Cristiane, who has 11 World Cup goals, was not called up.
Canada
Manager: Bev Priestman
Key players: Christine Sinclair, Kailen Sheridan, Vanessa Gilles, Jordyn Huitema, Sophie Schmidt
Defending Olympic gold medalist Canada is led by captain and all-time leading international goal scorer Christine Sinclair. The team has had a tough start to the year, having threatened a boycott of Soccer Canada due to funding issues and pay disparity. While an interim deal was reached, the issues remain.
Canada also will be without one of its stars in Janine Beckie, who tore her ACL in March during an NWSL preseason game. But they’ve got Kailen Sheridan in net and a number of threats that place them among the contenders to win the World Cup.
Link to provisional roster. Final roster is set to be announced July 9.
China
Manager: Shui Qingxia
Key players: Wang Shuang, Shen Mengyu, Wu Chengshu, Wu Haiyan
China is let by captain Wu Haiyan into this year’s World Cup. They’ve played in every single World Cup but one, and haven’t not made it out of their group each time. They also finished runners-up in 1999 to the USWNT.
In 2019, they finished in the Round of 16, their worst-ever finish, and have had a rough go of it lately, losing 3-0 to Spain back in an April friendly.
Colombia
Manager: Nelson Abadía
Key players: Linda Caicedo, Daniela Montoya, Catalina Usme
Colombia is led by captain Daniela Montoya and leading-scorer Catalina Usme into the 2023 tournament. This will be their third World Cup appearance, which includes a Round of 16 finish in 2015.
Costa Rica
Manager: Amelia Valverde
Key players: Raquel Rodríguez, Lixy Rodríguez, Priscila Chinchilla
Costa Rica announced its provisional roster on June 7, although as head coach Amelia Valverde said, it’s not a definitive list. She is willing to call other players into camp if necessary. This will be Costa Rica’s second World Cup appearance after the squad made its first in 2015.
The roster is headlined by Raquel Rodríguez, who plays for the NWSL’s Portland Thorns. Rodríguez is Costa Rica’s leading goal scorer with 55 goals in 100 international caps.
Link to provisional roster. The final 23-player roster is expected at the beginning of July.
Denmark
Manager: Lars Søndergaard
Key players: Signe Bruun, Sofie Junge Pedersen, Pernille Harder, Sanne Troelsgaard Nielsen
Denmark is led by captain and all-time leading scorer Pernille Harder. Sanne Troelsgaard Nielsen, who is third all-time, was also named to the roster. Denmark is making its first World Cup appearance in 16 years, with its last coming in 2007.
The team is without Nadia Nadim due to injury but has newcomers who could make a splash, including Josefine Hasbo and Amalie Vangsgaard.
England
Manager: Sarina Wiegman
Key players: Lucy Bronze, Rachel Daly, Mary Earps, Millie Bright, Alessia Russo
One of the World Cup favorites, England in particular has been hobbled by injury, with Mead and Williamson both set to miss the World Cup with ACL tears. Fran Kirby will also miss the World Cup due to injury. In Williamson’s place, Bright has been named captain of England’s World Cup team.
Not all hope is lost for England, as Russo, Beth England and Daly have stepped up their scoring in 2023, which could fill the holes that Williamson and Mead will leave.
France
Manager: Hervé Renard
Key players: Wendie Renard, Kadidiatou Diani, Eugénie Le Sommer
On July 4, France named its final 23-player roster. Les Bleus have faced turmoil in recent months, with women’s national team coach Corinne Diacre fired due to a “fracture” in her relationship with players.
Marquee players, including Wendie Renard, Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Kadidiatou Diani, all said in February that they would not play with the national team until the team’s issues were resolved. Following the firing of Diacre and the hiring of Hervé Renard, Wendie Renard returned to the team. She and Diani are including on the provisional roster, as is top scorer Eugénie Le Sommer.
Katoto, though, will miss the World Cup with an ACL injury.
Germany
Manager: Martina Voss-Tecklenburg
Key players: Lena Oberdorf, Lina Magull, Alexandra Popp, Lea Schüller
Another World Cup favorite, Germany’s World Cup provisional roster features 20 of the 23 players that helped the team finish as runner-up at last year’s Euros tournament. Giulia Gwinn and Linda Dallmann were not named to the roster due to injuries, while Almuth Schult is missing due to pregnancy.
Alexandra Popp, one of the team’s best players, will feature as captain and is also one of the top international scorers.
Link to provisional roster. The final 23-player roster will be announced later in June.
Haiti
Manager: Nicolas Delépine
Key players: Roselord Borgella, Batcheba Louis, Nérilia Mondésir, Kethna Louis
Haiti announced its preliminary roster on June 15, with just one player having over 20 international appearances. This is largely a roster with youth, including a number of American college athletes and French clubs.
Ireland
Manager: Vera Pauw
Key players: Katie McCabe, Denise O’Sullivan, Sinead Farrelly
Sinead Farrelly is among the ranks of the Girls in Green, joining Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan on the roster.
Farrelly stepped away from the game in 2016 after experiencing sexual abuse at the hands of her coach. She made her return to the sport in 2023, playing for NJ/NY Gotham FC in the NWSL and making her first appearance for Ireland back in April.
Italy
Manager: Milena Bertolini
Key players: Cristiana Girelli, Barbara Bonansea, Elena Linari
Italy announced its 23-player squad on July 2, with a number of veteran and youth players. Two have no international appearances, while another pair have just one. But they’re joined by a number of veterans, including seven who have over 50 international appearances.
Jamaica
Manager: Lorne Donaldson
Key players: Khadija Shaw, Jody Brown, Allyson Swaby, Kiki Van Zanten
Jamaica’s World Cup squad features a number of professional and college stars. But the team has called out its national federation for its lack of support, and one of the players’ mothers has started a GoFundMe in order to get supplies and necessities for the World Cup.
Still, this is an exciting team, and one that could surprise in the group stages. Star forward Khadija “Bunny” Shaw is no stranger to scoring against some of the world’s best and has done so 56 times through 38 caps with Jamaica.
Japan
Manager: Futoshi Ikeda
Key players: Jun Endo, Maika Hamano, Yui Hasegawa, Hina Sugita
The last team to beat the USWNT at a World Cup, 2011 champion Japan announced its 23-player roster on June 13, headlined by Yui Hasegawa.
“We will fight for the top spot with great ambition,” Japan coach Futoshi Ikeda said in Japanese. “But the level of (women’s) football in the world is improving very rapidly.”
Angel City FC forward Jun Endo made the team despite a recent knee injury. She scored in Japan’s 3-0 win against Canada in February at the SheBelieves Cup, but she saw plenty of room for growth in the losses to the USWNT and Brazil during the same tournament.
“We have to make every single game count and those mistakes can’t be happening,” she told The Athletic.
Notably, Mana Iwabuchi, who has played in three straight World Cups for Japan, was absent from the roster. Ikeda said he appreciated her “passion” but did not go into specifics on her omission.
Morocco
Manager: Reynald Pedros
Key players: Ghizlane Chebbak, Rosella Ayane, Fatima Tagnaout
Morocco named its 28-player preliminary roster on June 19. The team will make its World Cup debut this year, featuring in Group H alongside Colombia, Germany and South Korea. Led by captain and leading scorer Chizlane Chebbak, Morocco brings a mix of youth and veteran talent Down Under.
Netherlands
Manager: Andries Jonker
Key players: Lieke Martens, Jill Roord, Daniëlle van de Donk, Sherida Spitse, Stefanie van der Gragt
The runner-up from the 2019 World Cup, the Netherlands looks a little different this time around. Then-manager Sarina Wiegman now coaches for England, while star player and top scorer Vivianne Miedema will be out of the World Cup after tearing her ACL in December.
After a bit of turmoil over the past year, Andries Jonker has taken over as head coach and will face a tall task in a group that features the USWNT, who beat the Dutch squad in the 2019 championship match.
New Zealand
Manager: Jitka Klimková
Key players: Ali Riley, Hannah Wilkinson, Grace Jale, Annalie Longo
World Cup co-host New Zealand announced its 23-player roster, as well as three reserve players: Ava Collins, Meikayla Moore and Kate Taylor. Ali Riley leads the squad as captain, with Ria Percival — the Ferns’ most-capped player — as vice captain.
A total of 10 players will make their World Cup debut at home.
Nigeria
Manager: Randy Waldrum
Key players: Asisat Oshoala, Michelle Alozi, Onome Ebi
Nigeria brings a number of veterans but also a number of new faces with them Down Under.
Asisat Oshoala is one of the biggest stars on the squad, with 29 goals for the Super Falcons since her debut in 2013. There’s also a number of familiar faces for NWSL fans in Uchenna Kanu (Racing Louisville FC), Ifeoma Onumonu (Gotham FC) and Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash). This will be Nigeria’s first major tournament under head coach Randy Waldrum.
Norway
Manager: Hege Riise
Key players: Caroline Graham Hansen, Ada Hegerberg, Maren Mjelde
Norway’s 23-player roster is led by Ada Hegerberg and Caroline Graham Hansen. Maren Mjelde is the most-capped player on the squad, with 165 international appearances.
This will be Hegerberg’s first World Cup since 2015, as she stepped away from the national team in 2017 as a form of protest due to how the Norwegian Football Federation treated women’s soccer. As a result, she missed the 2019 World Cup. She ended her exile in March 2022, however, and will complete her comeback with her World Cup return.
Panama
Manager: Ignacio Quintana
Key players: Riley Tanner, Lineth Cedeño, Marta Cox
Panama will make its World Cup debut this year, going up against Brazil, France and Jamaica in Group F. The roster has limited international experience, with no players having more than 20 appearances. They’re led by Marta Cox and Lineth Cedeño, who are the team’s top scorers.
Philippines
Manager: Alen Stajcic
Key players: Hali Long, Quinley Quezada, Sarina Bolden
In total, 29 players were named to the provisional roster, including co-captains Hali Long and Tahnai Annis. Moving to No. 46 in the latest FIFA world rankings, it’s the highest-ever ranking that the Philippines has ever had.
The Filipinas are set to play against Switzerland, New Zealand and Norway in Group A. This will be their first World Cup appearance.
Link to provisional roster. The final roster will follow.
Portugal
Manager: Francisco Neto
Key players: Jéssica Silva, Carolina Mendes, Carole Costa, Diana Silva
Portugal is in its first-ever World Cup and will be playing in a tough group that features the Netherlands and the USWNT. But veteran presence mixed with some youth firepower could make Portugal a sneaky opponent in the group stage.
Spain
Manager: Jorge Vilda
Key players: Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmati, Irene Paredes, Jennifer Hermoso
Three of the 15 players who had refused to compete under coach Jorge Vilda starting last September have returned to the national team as part of the provisional World Cup roster for Spain. Aitana Bonmati, Mariona Caldentey and Ona Batlle have all been named to the 30-person squad.
Also returning is Alexia Putellas, who had been out with an ACL tear since last July. The two-time reigning Ballon d’Or winner returned to FC Barcelona in late April.
Sandra Paños, Mapi Leon and Patri Guijarro were among the 12 protesting players still absent from the squad. Some players do not believe enough has been done to address their complaints, ESPN reported.
Since the 15 players removed themselves from consideration last September, Spain has played nine matches, winning seven — including a 2-0 victory over the USWNT in October. Putellas, Irene Paredes and Jenni Hermoso had all voiced their support for the 15, although they never made themselves unavailable for selection; all three appear on the provisional roster.
Spain announced its final roster on June 30, with a number of youth talents, including Salma Paralluelo, who at 19 has five goals through six international appearances. In total, nine players have 10 caps or less.
South Africa
Manager: Desiree Ellis
Key players: Hildah Magaia, Sibulele Holweni, Linda Motlhalo, Noko Matlou
The 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations champions are led by Desiree Ellis. Racing Louisville’s Thembi Kgatlana is the lone NWSL player on the squad.
A relatively young squad, a few university players are in the mix. Notably, former captain and most-capped player Janine van Wyk is absent from the provisional roster due to injury.
South Korea
Manager: Colin Bell
Key players: Cho So-hyun, Park Eun-sun, Ji So-yun, Lim Seon-joo
South Korea’s 23-player roster includes a number of veterans, but also its first American-born player in Casey Phair. She’s the first player of mixed heritage to represent South Korea on a national soccer team, and at 16 years old, also the youngest.
Both Ji So-yun and Cho So-hyun have 144 international appearances apiece, and have 66 and 25 international goals, respectively. They’re protected by goalkeeper Kim Jung-mi, who has 135 international appearances.
Sweden
Manager: Peter Gerhardsson
Key players: Magdalena Eriksson, Sofia Jakobsson, Nathalie Björn, Fridolina Rolfö
Young talents Matilda Vinberg and Rosa Kafaji were left off the Swedish roster, but Rebecka Blomqvist and Sofia Jakobsson made the cut. And Carolina Seger will play in her fifth World Cup despite struggling with knee injuries over the last year.
Captain Madgalena Eriksson will feature in her second World Cup and San Diego Wave FC’s Jakobsson in her fourth. Sweden finished in third place at the 2019 tournament.
Switzerland
Manager: Inka Grings
Key players: Noelle Maritz, Lia Wälti, Ana Maria Crnogorčević, Ramona Bachmann
Switzerland’s roster announcement may have been the best one yet, if not the best one period. Let by Lia Wälti, the squad boasts Ramona Bachmann from PSG and Ana Maria Crnogorčević from Barca as its leading scorers. Goalkeeper Gäelle Thalmann leads the squad in net.
16-year-old Iman Beney was selected to the squad, just three days after making her senior national team debut, but ruptured her ACL during training.
Vietnam
Manager: Mai Duc Chung
Key players: Phạm Hải Yến, Huỳnh Như, Nguyễn Thị Tuyết Dung
Vietnam called 28 players into camp as it prepares for its first World Cup appearance.
Captain Huỳnh Như leads the squad with 67 goals in 72 international appearances. She’s joined by Phạm Hải Yến, who has 39 goals in 66 appearances. The squad features a multitude of experience, with 14 of the 23 players having at least 25 international appearances. Of those 14, 11 have more than 30.
Zambia
Manager: Bruce Mwape
Key players: Barbra Banda, Agness Musesa, Grace Chanda
The Copper Queens will make their World Cup debut in 2023 after being one of the first women’s national soccer teams to form in Africa in 1983. Zambia is the first team from a landlocked nation in Africa to qualify for a senior World Cup, men’s or women’s.
Barba Banda has been a force for Zambia, with 22 goals in 10 international appearances, and will look to continue her success on the World Cup stage.
Sam Coffey wasn’t named to the USWNT roster for this year’s World Cup, but her Portland Thorns teammates believe the best is yet to come for the 24-year-old midfielder.
“I think she’s the best holding midfielder in this league,” Christine Sinclair said after the Thorns defeated the Washington Spirit, 4-2, on Friday, with Coffey adding the final tally of the night.
Coffey, currently in her second NWSL season, leads the league with six assists. She made her USWNT debut in 2022, but was left off the invite list for national team camps in February and April.
“I think the future for her is whatever she wants it to be,” Sinclair added. “I’m sad for her that she’s not going to be able to represent the U.S. at the World Cup.”
After Coffey was informed of her World Cup fate, Smith offered the best advice she could.
“After she got her phone call, I told her, ‘This is literally just the beginning. All you can do right now is continue to be yourself and prove to everybody why it was a mistake.'”
Smith then made a big prediction for Coffey’s future: “Her time will come, I have no doubt. I fully believe that she will be the holding midfielder on the national team for a very long time.”
Sophia Smith made a major statement in her final NWSL game ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, scoring a hat trick in the Portland Thorns’ 4-2 win over the Washington Spirit on Friday night.
“I have to go into this tournament as my best self, feeling like my most confident self and I knew this game was important in doing that,” Smith said. “If I were to leave this field and feel like I didn’t do what I needed to do, that would be a stressful time.”
The 22-year-old Smith scored her 29th, 30th and 31st career goals in front of 20,000 fans at Providence Park to become the youngest player in NWSL history to score 30 goals (a record previously held by Sam Kerr).
All three of Smith’s goals were beauties, as the star forward gave a clinic on how to manage multiple defenders and still find the back of the net. (A video highlight is embedded below.)
“When I’m dribbling towards the goal, if I see a sliver of an open net, I’m taking a shot. Recently I’ve had some good luck with shots from distance, so I’m going to keep doing that,” she said.
RELATED READ: Sophia Smith and a singular drive for soccer greatness
Washington’s goals were notched by Ashley Hatch and Ashley Sanchez, while Morgan Weaver added the Thorns’ only non-Smith-scored goal of the night.
Smith said she wanted to leave the Thorns in a good position heading into the next few weeks as the team will be without at least six players during the World Cup: Smith and Crystal Dunn (USWNT), Adriana Leon and Christine Sinclair (Canada), Rocky Rodriguez (Costa Rica) and Higa Sugita (Japan). The Thorns currently sit atop the NWSL standings with 25 points, while the Spirit are in second with 23.
“Our mindset going into this (game) was that we needed a clear and good win, playing as ourselves, playing as the Thorns that we know,” Smith said.
Spirit head coach Mark Parsons also had high praise for Smith’s performance.
“I thought we turned up and were fantastic in being brave, and making this more like a game that we wanted to control,” he said.
“But we played against Sophia Smith. And she was world class tonight.”
Smith did her postgame press conference alongside Sinclair, the two players trading banter ahead of a potential North American showdown at the World Cup. Canada ousted the U.S. in the semifinal round of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, though Smith was not a member of the U.S. squad at that tournament. The 22-year-old will be playing in her first major tournament for the USWNT this summer after leading the team in scoring in 2022.
Sinclair said she’d love to see the U.S. and Canada play at the World Cup, especially because the two teams would end up on opposite sides of the bracket so long as they make it out of their respective groups.
“Based on that path, that would mean we’d be playing in the World Cup final, so why not? Let’s go for it,” Sinclair said.
She then added, with a laugh: “Maybe not if (Sophia) was in the form she was in tonight. Maybe she can just chill out a little bit.”
A top of the table matchup that lived up to the hype.#PORvWAS match recap presented by @nationwide pic.twitter.com/pbWbjVtxwr
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 24, 2023
Players on the Canada women’s national soccer team want their pay dispute with their national federation settled before they leave for the 2023 World Cup next week.
The pre-tournament camp is scheduled to start on June 28 in Australia, with the tournament kicking off on July 20. Canada captain Christine Sinclair told the Canadian Press that players want to get a deal done so that they don’t have the issue hanging over their heads throughout the World Cup.
And while the team hasn’t reached its breaking point yet, time is running out.
“We’re not at a point where we’re not getting on a plane, but time’s coming where we want it done so as players we’re not having to deal with it while we’re trying to prepare,” Sinclair told the Canadian Press.
Sinclair is not expecting a long-term solution to the long-standing battle for pay equity and funding.
“But us as a women’s team have flat out told the CSA (Canada Soccer Association) that we need a deal in place for at least the World Cup and this year before we head down there,” she said. “I think it will happen. Will it be a long-term deal? No. But something will be done before the World Cup starts.”
The women’s team has been without a labor deal since its previous one expired at the end of 2021. Earlier this year, players threatened it sit out the SheBelieves Cup before being strong-armed into playing the tournament by their federation.
In March, the two sides agreed to an interim deal, which covered the period of time in 2022 for which team members had not been paid. But players said there remained “a lot of work to be done.”
A permanent deal has not been reached due to a number of factors, the players’ association said at the time, including repeated failure by Canada Soccer to properly disclose financial numbers as well as the fight by the women’s team for an agreement that “establishes fair and equitable standards.”
Players did take part in the April FIFA window after saying they would only do so provided that “meaningful progress” has been made in negotiations. Still, a final deal has not been reached; the Canada men’s national team also is still negotiating its contract.
The reigning Olympic gold champion, Canada enters the final month of World Cup preparation among the top 10 contenders, according to the betting odds.
“I don’t know all the details on the men’s side of things but we’re fighting the same fight,” Sinclair said. “I think us as players, we fear that we as national teams could get left behind when you see the support that other federations are putting into their teams, putting into their youth programming, putting into professional leagues.
“If we want to remain relevant, yes, some things are going to have to change.”
The last time the Portland Thorns defeated OL Reign in Seattle, the Thorns had two fewer stars above their crest.
Portland’s 2-0 shutout win at Lumen Field on Saturday was the Thorns’ first NWSL regular season win against the Reign since 2018 and first road win at a Reign stadium since 2017. Since then, the Thorns have added two NWSL championship titles (2017, 2022) and another NWSL Shield (2021) — all while defeating their Pacific Northwest rivals remained a challenge.
“Every time we play them it’s a battle,” said Thorns defender Emily Menges. “The messaging before the game from (head coach) Mike (Norris) was, ‘Yep, come for the battle, but don’t make it a street fight, make it a boxing match.’ … I think we rose to that occasion and I think that’s what we did.”
Sophia Smith opened scoring for the Thorns in the 17th minute, curling the ball inside the right post. It was Smith’s fifth goal of the NWSL season (tying her for first in the Golden Boot race), but first since she recorded a hat trick against the Kansas City Current on April 1.
“I’ve been staying level-headed and not overthinking not scoring a goal,” Smith said of her scoring drought. “At the end of the day, I feel like I’ve still impacted the game in a lot of different ways. But obviously as a nine, as a goal-scorer, I take a lot of pride in helping my team score goals. So my not doing that for a little bit obviously was hard and it was something I had to deal with internally because I didn’t want to negatively affect the team when we were playing well. But to just get a goal in a big game like this, it lights a new fire in me and make me feel like I’m back to being Soph.”
Christine Sinclair closed it out for the Thorns with an 87th minute goal — a nice bookend to the Canadian legend’s decision at the end of last season to continue playing with the Thorns. In a speech announcing her free agency decision, Sinclair received an ovation from Thorns’ fans when she shouted, “F— Seattle.”
Saturday’s game was part of a doubleheader, following an MLS match between the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders. Still, there was some disappointment that many of the 42,054 fans who filled Lumen Field for the first game, which ended in a 0-0 draw, didn’t stick around to watch the second.
The dwindling crowd also resulted in some confusion over a longstanding attendance record. Ahead of Saturday’s game, the best-attended women’s club soccer game in the United States was the opening game of the WUSA in April 2001, when 34,148 fans packed into Robert F. Kennedy Stadium to watch the Mia Hamm’s Washington Freedom defeat Brandi Chastain’s Bay Area CyberRays. The NWSL record is 32,000, set during San Diego FC’s first ever game at Snapdragon Stadium in September 2022.
Despite the asterisk on the attendance figure, OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey, who became the first NWSL coach to coach 200 regular season games on Saturday, was impressed by the showing.
“You look out today, I don’t know how many fans stayed around, but to be able to play in this stadium in front of lots of people, we couldn’t probably have dreamed of that in year one,” she said.
A win on the road means so much more.
— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) June 4, 2023
🎥Highlights from tonight’s rivalry win: pic.twitter.com/2Ch6anxSVM
Christine Sinclair and Lynn Williams both scored their 60th career NWSL goals on Saturday to remain tied for second most goals in NWSL history. Only Sam Kerr — who played in the NWSL from 2013-19 — has more (77).
Sinclair’s 60th goal came just two minutes into the Portland Thorns’ 2-0 win over Racing Louisville. Sinclair, who has played with the Thorns since the NWSL launched in 2013, reached the 60-goal mark in her 160th career match.
WHAT A LEGEND!
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) April 23, 2023
The 6️0th‼️ #NWSL goal for @sincy12 pic.twitter.com/yHwjQ1YEg3
More than 2,400 miles away — and following a two-hour lightning delay — Williams equaled Sinclair’s mark by scoring in the 80th minute of Gotham’s 1-0 win over the North Carolina Courage. Williams, who was drafted into the NWSL in 2015 and was traded to Gotham ahead of the 2023 NWSL season, scored off a pass from Yazmeen Ryan.
LYNN WILLIAMS SCORES HER 60TH NWSL GOAL 💥 pic.twitter.com/ZqfLuZ9ILJ
— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) April 23, 2023
San Diego Wave coach Casey Stoney took issue with the packed NWSL schedule in the wake of her team’s 1-0 loss to OL Reign on Saturday.
This weekend, the league returned from an international break. On Wednesday, the Challenge Cup will kick off, with 10 teams playing their first games of the tournament. And next weekend will bring another round of regular-season matches.
While Stoney would like to make adjustments with her squad, the quick turnaround will make that difficult.
“We ain’t got a lot of time to work on anything in practice this week because the league, joyfully, off the back of an international window, put three games week in, which is ridiculous,” Stoney said sarcastically.
Casey Stoney on whether the Wave will have any time to work on their flaws this week (they won't)
— Stephanie (🌊) (@statsandedits) April 16, 2023
She also seems to not be happy with the way the league has scheduled three games in one week
Also wants the team to believe in themselves more and work on set-pieces #VamosWave pic.twitter.com/vHMJK5rjev
The Wave will face the Portland Thorns at 10 p.m. ET Wednesday, followed by in-state rivals Angel City FC at 8 p.m. ET Sunday.
Coaches of all three teams — San Diego, Portland and Angel City — also discussed the importance and the difficulty of load management coming off the international window and heading into the NWSL schedule crunch.
Canada women’s national team captain Christine Sinclair ended up missing the Thorns’ match Friday against the Houston Dash, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Delayed flights scrambled Sinclair’s travel back from her national team duties, and she arrived in Portland on Thursday evening, coach Mike Norris said.
Norris called the situation “very unfortunate, but frustrating as well.” Still, Sinclair’s health came first in the decision to rest her for the match.
“I think if you look at player safety, it was the right thing to do,” he said. “Could we have dressed her? Could we have used her? Maybe? But yeah, we took the decision what we felt was right, her safety and what’s coming ahead.”
Angel City rookie Alyssa Thompson played a full 90 minutes last Tuesday for the U.S. women’s national team, which came as a surprise to her NWSL coach Freya Coombe. Thompson had joined the USWNT as a late addition in the international window after an injury to Mallory Swanson.
“Obviously she had a mini adventure previously in the week, which was fantastic for her. We’re very supportive of that,” Coombe said. “It was important for us to manage her minutes coming back in because she had a journey and played the 90-plus minutes for the USWNT. She’s always looking dangerous when she comes in.”
NWSL Challenge Cup schedule: April 19
- Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage, 7 p.m. ET
- Gotham FC vs. Washington Spirit, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Houston Dash vs. Kansas City Current, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Angel City FC vs. OL Reign, 10 p.m. ET
- San Diego Wave vs. Portland Thorns, 10 p.m. ET
- BYE: Chicago Red Stars, Racing Louisville
Members of the Canada women’s national soccer team testified in front of members of Canadian parliament Thursday, revealing details of their ongoing negotiations toward a new collective bargaining agreement.
The women’s and men’s nationals team have been embroiled in a very public labor dispute with their federation. Ahead of Thursday’s testimonies, Canada Soccer released details of its proposed CBA to the public but did not give any notice to players.
Canada Soccer general secretary Earl Cochrane said the federation has been “negotiating in good faith” with the national teams, but players said the surprise release runs contrary to that statement.
“We feel quite disrespected by the way they conducted their business today,” Janine Beckie said. “We believe it should have stayed between the players association and the CSA. There were terms in their release that haven’t been shown to us.”
Canada captain Christine Sinclair spoke of the “culture of secrecy and obstruction” in the federation under former president Nick Bontis, who resigned in February. She also said she has “never been more insulted” than she was by Bontis.
“We met with him to discuss our concerns,” Sinclair said. “I was tasked with outlining our compensation ask on behalf of the Women’s National Team. The president of Canada Soccer listened to what I had to say and then later in the meeting referred back to it as, quote, ‘What was it Christine was b—-ing about?’”
She also added that pay equity is just “a little piece of the puzzle” in the wider fight between the women’s national team and Canada Soccer.
“I’m not sure honestly where we go from here,” she said. “There’s a few simple things that need to be addressed by the CSA.”