Sinclair hot topic following memorable performance

Christine Sinclair nearly silenced a boisterous German crowd just six minutes into the opening match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011. She was played a marvelous through ball by teammate Diana Matheson, but could not beat the goalkeeper Nadine Angerer from inside the box, albeit with little room from the left side.



An early goal may have dictated a different outcome for Canada. Unfortunately, it was Germany that broke the scoreline four minutes later and delivered a 2:1 victory to the home fans on Sunday 26 June at the Olympiastadion Berlin. Sinclair scored the last goal of the match, a perfectly placed free kick in the 82nd minute. It was a picture-perfect goal that, eight minutes later after the German victory was complete, drew genuine appreciation from the German football fans.



Back home in Canada, Sinclair has been applauded a hero for her tenacity to play despite suffering a broken nose. Her name not only won the headlines in newspaper columns, but also was “trending” on the social media website twitter.com.



Germany had not conceded a single goal in the last FIFA Women’s World Cup at China 2007. In fact, the German goalkeepers had gone 679 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal before Sinclair hit the back of the net. The last goal scored by an opponent was struck by Hanna Ljungberg in the USA 2003 final.



Germany was the FIFA Women’s World Cup champion in both 2003 and 2007. Only four goals were scored against Germany in 2003, incidentally one of which was scored by Sinclair.



Sinclair now has 117 career goals in 160 matches. She ranks fifth all time in women’s international football goalscoring. Included in her count is seven goals in 10 FIFA Women’s World Cup matches dating back to 2003.