Burnaby international Christine Sinclair led the Canadian national women's soccer team to a berth at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London.
Games in London. The Canadian team captain scored two goals and helped set up the eventual game-winner by Melissa Tancredi in a 3-1 victory over Mexico before another record crowd at the CONCACAF women's Olympic qualifier at B.C. Place on Friday.
Playing before nearly 23,000 adoring fans, the South Burnaby Secondary grad opened the scoring for Canada in the 15th minute, finishing off a Tancredi cross with a solid strike that gave the Mexican keeper no chance.
Minutes later, Sinclair helped repay the favour, working a nifty tic-tac-toe passing sequence with Kelly Parker to Tancredi for the game-winner.
After Mexico shaved the deficit in half midway through the second period, Sinclair took a Tancredi through ball at pace and launched a high chip up and over the Mexican keeper that one-bounced up and under the bar for the deciding goal.
Sinclair's second marker of the match - her 129th of her career - tied her with American Abby Wambach on the women's all-time goal scoring list.
Sinclair's second goal was also her tournamentleading ninth tally at the Olympic qualifier and the 15th in CONCACAF competition.
"We just never stopped fighting, and we got one more (goal) at the end," said Sinclair after the semifinal game.
Sinclair and Wambach met each other in the CONCACAF final on Sunday.
U.S.A. lived up to its No. 1 billing, blanking the Canadians 4-0 before yet another record Vancouver crowd of nearly 26,000 in the regional qualifying final.
Wambach scored a pair of goals in the win to pull ahead of Sinclair in the all-world career total goal rankings.
Asked if qualifying for the London Olympics made up for Canada's disappointing finish at the world championships last year, Sinclair said, "Not quite.
"It will take a medal at the Olympics - a medal around our necks."
