Sinclair stands alone among all-time scorers
Captain notches record-setting goal as Canadians cruise at Olympic qualifier
Heading into the opening game of the 2020 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying tournament against St. Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday, it wasn’t a question of whether Canadian striker Christine Sinclair would set the all-time international scoring record, but when.
It took Sinclair just seven minutes to score her first of the game for Canada, tying retired U.S. striker Abby Wambach for the record with 184 goals for her country. Sinclair broke the record 16 minutes later on a setup from Adriana Leon in the lopsided 11-0 victory.
Wambach sent a congratulatory tweet to Sinclair moments after she scored the historic goal.
Sinclair stands alone ahead of Wambach, Americans Mia Hamm (158), Kristine Lily (130), and Germany’s Birgit Prinz (128)
Leon had four goals in the win, Ashley Lawrence had two, while Jayde Riviere, Jessie Fleming and Jordyn Huitema scored the others in Canada’s most lopsided victory since defeating Cuba 12-0 at the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Championship on the same field in Edinburg, Texas.
The game proved to be a warmup for Canada, who need to make the final of the tournament to qualify for their fourth consecutive Olympic tournament in Tokyo this summer. Canada plays Jamaica on Saturday and Mexico on Tuesday in their final two Group B games.
The United States, Haiti, Costa Rica and Panama make up the other group. The top two teams in each group advance to the semifinals.
Sinclair, 36, was playing her 290th game for Canada in an illustrious career that has spanned two decades. A Burnaby, B.C., product, Sinclair played at the University of Portland, leading them to a national championship in her sophomore year and then again in her senior year before turning professional.
Sinclair made her Canadian debut at the 2000 Algarve Cup as a 16-year-old, where she scored her first international goal in a 2-1 loss to Norway on March 14, 2000. She’s gone on to represent Canada at five FIFA Women’s World Cup and three Olympics. She and Brazilian striker Marta are the only two players to have scored at five World Cups.
One of Sinclair’s most iconic moments came at the 2012 Summer Olympics where she scored a hattrick in a controversial 4-3 semifinal loss to the United States at Old Trafford in Manchester, England.
The Canadians are two-time Olympic bronze medallists, finishing third in both London and then in Rio four years later.
Canada is looking to qualify for their fourth consecutive Olympic tournament and got off to a good start in the victory against St. Kitts and Nevis.
Sinclair won a penalty six minutes into the game when she was fouled in the penalty area on a cross swung into her at the far post. The longtime Canadian captain stepped up to the penalty spot and calmly slotted the ball past goalkeeper Kyra Dickenson.
Leon put Canada up 2-0 in the 12th minute with her first of four goals. The West Ham United
striker finished off a low cross from Riviere. Lawrence made it 3-0 with a long-distance shot into the bottom corner before Sinclair scored the record breaker five minutes later.
Sinclair took a pass from Leon in front and had all day to slide the ball past Dickenson. Leon added two more in the half and Riviere scored to give Canada a 7-0 lead after 45 minutes.
With both the record and the game in hand, Sinclair was subbed out early in the second half. She was replaced by Huitema, who plays for Paris Saint-germain and is considered Sinclair’s heir apparent.
Canada is looking to win their group in a bid to avoid the powerful Americans in the semifinals on Feb. 7 in Carson, Calif.
Canada and the U.S. have represented CONCACAF at the past three Olympics.
The Americans are the topranked team in the world. They won their fourth World Cup title last summer and are four-time Olympic champions.