Christine Sinclair has a sprained left ankle and a left Achilles tendon strain. (Photo Copyright Patricia Giobetti for The Equalizer)
Christine Sinclair will miss Portland Thorns FC’s 2015 home finale with a left ankle sprain and left Achilles tendon strain.
Sinclair was injured last Saturday in a 1-0 loss to Sky Blue FC in New Jersey when she was taken down by Sky Blue goalkeeper Brittany Cameron in the box in the 87th minute. Sinclair went down hard, with her leg getting caught under Cameron’s sweeping arm. Sinclair left the field and did not return. After the match, she had her left ankle area wrapped in ice and she was putting minimal pressure on her left leg.
Portland earned a penalty kick for the foul. Alex Morgan stepped up to take the PK and had it saved by Cameron, who also made a sprawling save to keep Morgan’s rebound effort out of the net.
The extent of Sinclair’s injury is unknown. The Thorns have been quiet about the severity of the injury, but the Canada women’s national team medical staff does not believe the injury is serious. Canada’s staff is set to be in Portland this weekend to evaluate the injury in person.
Portland coach Paul Riley initially feared the worst regarding Sinclair.
“I think it’s a bad injury and I think she knows it is too,” Riley told The Equalizer after the match. “She said she heard a pop. Something to do with the ankle, I don’t know what. And Sinc’s not a whiner, whatsoever, so I think I have a feeling it’s a bad injury, but fingers crossed it’s not.”
Steph Catley (right heel contusion) and Jodie Taylor (right knee meniscectomy) are both questionable, while Morgan is listed as probable as her right knee gets back to 100 percent.
