Thorns blank Whitecaps Girls Elite in Sinclair's hometown finale

VANCOUVER — 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 "Thank you, Sinclair!" and others sported Canada jerseys bearing her name and No. 12.

Sinclair's goal and reaction were no surprise to Thorns head coach Rob Gale.

“Class is permanent. Simple as that," he said after Portland's 6-0 victory over the 'Caps.

"If you get the privilege to work with her and you see her every day, she leads the team in a quiet, understated way. She doesn’t like the spotlight. … You can't pay her enough compliments for a career and for the longevity that she's shown because she does everything right.”

Tuesday marked yet another homecoming — and goodbye — for Sinclair, who hails from Burnaby, B.C.

Last month, she announced that she'll retire from professional soccer at the end of the National Women's 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 world's top scorer in both men's and women's soccer with 190 goals. Her time with the national squad included appearing in six Women's World Cups — and goals in five — 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 she's helmed for 11 seasons was special, Sinclair said.

“It's been incredible," she said. "When 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 it's allowed me to see, representing a great country, representing a great club. It’s kind of come full circle."

Isabella D'Aquila 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 May's semifinals.

The Whitecaps, comprised mostly of teenage players from the club's academy system, went 1-3-0 across the 10-team tournament, which features the top women’s clubs from North and Central America and the Caribbean. The winner will represent CONCACAF at the inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup in 2026.

The Whitecaps challenged the Thorns early on Tuesday.

Eighteen minutes in, 'Caps 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.

“They were brave. They got the ball. They caused us problems, everything we expected," the coach said. "We 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."

The Whitecaps embodied Canadian soccer on Tuesday, Sinclair said.

“Obviously fight is what Canadians are known for. They’re not going to make it easy," she said. "I think they should be proud of themselves. They’ve got some really good players on that team.”

For Hernandez Gray, lining up against one of Canada's most revered athletes will be an enduring memory.

“It was crazy to host (Sinclair) at home. Obviously it was crazy for her as well," said the 19-year-old midfielder. "I think myself and a whole bunch of people on my team, it’s just surreal to have her come and play here at home. It was just crazy.”

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 women's soccer in Canada is bright.

“I think watching some of those players have the success that they did tonight against, top, top pro players, it's just an exciting time," she said.

"I 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, everybody's excited about it.”

Part of Sinclair's post-retirement life will include a gig as part-owner of a new professional women's 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 women's soccer live on a regular basis, and provide a place for the next generation of the country's young stars to grow and develop, Sinclair said.

"It's huge for the country. It's huge for the youngsters in Canada," she said. "Players shouldn't have to retire just because they might not have made a national team, or they didn't have the opportunity to go overseas. And the future is very bright."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2024.