Photo Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images
This week, North Carolina Courage keep rolling thanks to the Golden Boot leader, Bay FC’s goalkeeper is looking among the best despite team struggles in the standings, big names break goalscoring droughts and questions about Esther González’s move.
Sanchez continues her remarkable and record-breaking form
Ashley Sanchez is now the North Carolina Courage’s single-season record goalscorer. She scored her 14th and 15th goals of the season in a 2-0 win over Angel City on Wednesday night. She is just the sixth player to score 15+ goals in a single season. The feat has only been accomplished by two players this decade (Alex Morgan in 2022 and Temwa Chawinga in 2024 and 2025). The current Golden Boot leader is also the second winger to reach the threshold after Crystal Dunn in 2015. There are still nine games left in the NWSL season. How many more records will Sanchez break? And is a USWNT call-up looming?
Meanwhile, her Courage side are contenders for a home playoff berth. Head coach Mak Lind has maximized his team’s diversity in attack. The Courage dominate central areas while also maximizing their width with runs from outside backs Feli Rauch and Ryan Williams. Erica Meg Parkinson is not a like-for-like replacement for Manaka Matsukobo but provides a creative spark. Evelyn Ijeh continues to pair well with Sanchez, as her brilliant backheel assist on Wednesday night demonstrates. Kailen Sheridan nabbed her second career assist with her excellent lobbed ball over the top to Sanchez’s run, which resulted in her record goal.
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