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Christine Sinclair returns to Vancouver for W Champions Cup play

Posted on by Kennedy
Christine Sinclair returns to Vancouver for W Champions Cup play

Last December wasn't Christine Sinclair's last game in Vancouver. The soccer gods had one more game in store for the Canadian women's national team icon at BC Place, and it will be a night the Whitecaps players will never forget.

The Portland Thorns arrived in Vancouver on Thanksgiving Monday and trained at BC Place ahead of Tuesday's W Champions Cup clash with the Whitecaps' League1 BC team, Canada's sole representative in the inaugural women's continental tournament.

The NWSL giants' visit to the group stage gives the Whitecaps Girls' elite team of mostly teenagers a chance to play against their idol. They won't face many of their star Thorns teammates.

Sophia Smith, Hina Sugita, Meghan Klingenberg, Bella Bixby, Gabby Provenzano, Reilyn Turner and Olivia Wade-Katoa did not travel to Vancouver with the Thorns.

Luckily for Canadian fans, Sinclair's remaining teammate is from the Canadian Thorns did Make the journey north. Jessie Fleming could crack Rob Gale's starting XI again on Tuesday night after playing all 90 minutes of Friday's league win over Orlando.

Gale, Valor FC's first head coach, has another former Canadian Premier League head coach on his Thorns coaching staff, former CanMNT manager Stephen Hart. Portland general manager and former CanWNT star goaltender Karina LeBlanc just announced that she will be leaving her role as Thorns GM to accept a new position with the ownership group that also owns the rights to Portland's WNBA expansion team.

While the fantasy of an upset will be on every Vancouverite's mind, it's also pretty tempting to see Sinclair find the back of the net at BC Place once again.

Sinclair played a key role over the weekend as her Thorns eliminated Orlando and ended the Pride's perfect NWSL season, just two games away from the playoffs.

According to Canadian Soccer Daily contributor Har, more than 6,000 spectators are expected at BC Place on Tuesday night for Sinclair and Fleming's homecoming.

Many of those fans will have secured tickets for one last chance to see Sinclair on the field. She will have a group of 20 family and friends at BC Place.

The 41-year-old will hang up her boots at the end of this NWSL season, heartbreaking for Canadian fans who had hoped she would play for Vancouver Rise FC in the inaugural Northern Super League season. Instead, the Burnaby, BC native has joined Rise FC's ownership group.

“We have nothing to lose. We want to go out there and show them who we are and what we can do as a team,” said Whitecaps forward Kaylee Hunter. “This is like a dream experience come true. Playing against (Sinc) is something completely different. We are super excited. Since it’s also their last game in Vancouver, it’s crazy.”

Last week, in a video clip posted by Rise FC, Sinclair said she couldn't wait to play in Vancouver again and vowed she wouldn't “make it easy” for the Whitecaps Academy players.

“It’s an amazing sign of respect. “The fact that they come in and don't take us lightly is a major testament to the fact that they respect what we've done and they respect the process we've gone through in this tournament,” said Katie Collar, Head coach of the Whitecaps FC Girls Elite on Monday.

The Whitecaps went 0-1 in the inaugural W Champions Cup when they lost 2-0 to Kailen Sheridan's San Diego Wave at BC Place two weeks ago. Unfortunately, the CanWNT No. 1 goalkeeper did not play in the game, but it was a learning experience for the Whitecaps, who performed well despite conceding numerous goals and losing possession.

The same scenario could play out on Tuesday night against the Thorns, although the mood in the crowd will be different if Sinclair or Fleming play a key role for the visitors. Either way, it will be another memorable Sincy game in their hometown, and that's certainly something to be thankful for after this Thanksgiving weekend.

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