Christine Sinclair barely celebrated her last goal at B.C. Place.
The Portland Thorns already had a hefty 4-0 lead on the Vancouver Whitecaps Girls Elite FC Tuesday when Sinclair fired in a shot from the side of the net during a CONCACAF W Champions Cup match.
The 41-year-old forward appeared almost bashful as the announced crowd of 6,731 fans rose to their feet cheering, and her teammates surrounded her with hugs and high fives.
In the stands, several fans held signs reading 91裸聊视频淭hank you, Sinclair!91裸聊视频� and others sported Canada jerseys bearing her name and No. 12.
Sinclair91裸聊视频檚 goal and reaction were no surprise to Thorns head coach Rob Gale.
91裸聊视频淐lass is permanent. Simple as that,91裸聊视频� he said after Portland91裸聊视频檚 6-0 victory over the 91裸聊视频楥aps.
91裸聊视频淚f you get the privilege to work with her and you see her every day, she leads the team in a quiet, understated way. She doesn91裸聊视频檛 like the spotlight. 91裸聊视频� You can91裸聊视频檛 pay her enough compliments for a career and for the longevity that she91裸聊视频檚 shown because she does everything right.91裸聊视频�
Tuesday marked yet another homecoming 91裸聊视频� and goodbye 91裸聊视频� for Sinclair, who hails from Burnaby, B.C.
Last month, she announced that she91裸聊视频檒l retire from professional soccer at the end of the National Women91裸聊视频檚 Soccer League season. The Thorns are currently pushing for a playoff spot and will close out the regular season in Portland on Nov. 1.
Sinclair ended her international career last year as the world91裸聊视频檚 top scorer in both men91裸聊视频檚 and women91裸聊视频檚 soccer with 190 goals. Her time with the national squad included appearing in six Women91裸聊视频檚 World Cups 91裸聊视频� and goals in five 91裸聊视频� an Olympic title in Tokyo, and bronze at both the 2016 Games in Rio and 2012 Games in London.
Playing one final game in Vancouver with the club she91裸聊视频檚 helmed for 11 seasons was special, Sinclair said.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 been incredible,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淲hen I first started playing (semi-professional soccer) with the Whitecaps and the (Vancouver) Breakers, I never thought my career would end up where it has taken me and the places it91裸聊视频檚 allowed me to see, representing a great country, representing a great club. It91裸聊视频檚 kind of come full circle.91裸聊视频�
Isabella D91裸聊视频橝quila scored twice and contributed three assists for the Thorns on Tuesday, while Sinclair, Alexa Spaanstra, Payton Linnehan and Reyna Reyes had a goal apiece.
Portland improved to 3-1-0 in the group phase of the Champions Cup and earned a spot in May91裸聊视频檚 semifinals.
The Whitecaps, comprised mostly of teenage players from the club91裸聊视频檚 academy system, went 1-3-0 across the 10-team tournament, which features the top women91裸聊视频檚 clubs from North and Central America and the Caribbean. The winner will represent CONCACAF at the inaugural FIFA Women91裸聊视频檚 Club World Cup in 2026.
The Whitecaps challenged the Thorns early on Tuesday.
Eighteen minutes in, 91裸聊视频楥aps forward Jamie Perault got a solid run down the field and unleashed a shot that went just wide of the far post.
Her teammate, Jeneva Hernandez Gray, came within inches of opening the scoring three minutes later when she fired a shot off the post.
Portland knew their opponents were going to be feisty, Gale said.
91裸聊视频淭hey were brave. They got the ball. They caused us problems, everything we expected,91裸聊视频� the coach said. 91裸聊视频淲e upped the tempo a little bit in the second half, and obviously could have scored more, but buried the chances and then kept a clean sheet at the other end. So job done. Goat scores again. Everybody goes home happy.91裸聊视频�
The Whitecaps embodied Canadian soccer on Tuesday, Sinclair said.
91裸聊视频淥bviously fight is what Canadians are known for. They91裸聊视频檙e not going to make it easy,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 think they should be proud of themselves. They91裸聊视频檝e got some really good players on that team.91裸聊视频�
For Hernandez Gray, lining up against one of Canada91裸聊视频檚 most revered athletes will be an enduring memory.
91裸聊视频淚t was crazy to host (Sinclair) at home. Obviously it was crazy for her as well,91裸聊视频� said the 19-year-old midfielder. 91裸聊视频淚 think myself and a whole bunch of people on my team, it91裸聊视频檚 just surreal to have her come and play here at home. It was just crazy.91裸聊视频�
The Whitecaps are now out of the Champions Cup, but head coach Katie Collar said the experience has been a pivotal one for her young group.
The team grew from every game, she said, and the future of women91裸聊视频檚 soccer in Canada is bright.
91裸聊视频淚 think watching some of those players have the success that they did tonight against, top, top pro players, it91裸聊视频檚 just an exciting time,91裸聊视频� she said.
91裸聊视频淚 think everybody in the stands tonight, just walking around, listening to the buzz, listening to people come over and talk to me about the game, everybody91裸聊视频檚 excited about it.91裸聊视频�
Part of Sinclair91裸聊视频檚 post-retirement life will include a gig as part-owner of a new professional women91裸聊视频檚 soccer team, Vancouver Rise FC. The club is one of the founding teams in the Northern Super League, set to kick off its first season in April.
The league will give young fans a chance to watch women91裸聊视频檚 soccer live on a regular basis, and provide a place for the next generation of the country91裸聊视频檚 young stars to grow and develop, Sinclair said.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 huge for the country. It91裸聊视频檚 huge for the youngsters in Canada,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淧layers shouldn91裸聊视频檛 have to retire just because they might not have made a national team, or they didn91裸聊视频檛 have the opportunity to go overseas. And the future is very bright.91裸聊视频�
