Christine Sinclair wins WPS weekly award

Christine Sinclair has been named Women’s Professional Soccer Week 14 Player of the Week. Sinclair was recognized following a two-goal performance this past Saturday for her first-place club, FC Gold Pride. Sinclair is in her second professional season with FC Gold Pride of the seven-team football league.

 

Sinclair, perhaps Canada’s most prominent women’s athlete in any sport, is having another terrific season at the professional level. She has recorded seven goals – second most in the league – and five assists in 13 matches.

 

Sinclair and strike partner Marta – the four-time FIFA Women’s Player of the Year – are a big reason FC Gold Pride are at the top of the league standings. Marta and Sinclair are not only the top-two goal scorers this season, they are also the top-two goal scorers in the league’s short history (Marta with 20, Sinclair and Abby Wambach tied with 13).

 

On Saturday 17 July, Sinclair scored both goals in a 2:0 victory over Philadelphia Independance. Incidentally, Saturday’s match was celebrated as Canada Day in recognition of FC Gold Pride’s two Canadian stars – Sinclair and defender Candace Chapman. Sinclair’s two goals in the match were scored against Philadelphia goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc, the third Canadian national team member participating in the match.

 

Sinclair is now a two-time winner of the WPS Player of the Week honour, having first been recognized in 2009.

 

Sinclair is Canada’s top professional athlete, having won five-straight Canadian Player of the Year honours. She is also a four-time nominee for FIFA World Player of the Year honours. Later this year, she will return to action for Canada’s national team as it aims for a fifth-straight qualification to the FIFA Women’s World Cup.