Canada's Pickett scores in debut with Courage, leading to draw against Thorns

Newly acquired midfielder Victoria Pickett scored in the 70th minute for the North Carolina Courage in a 3-3 draw with the Portland Thorns on Saturday in Cary, N.C.

The 26-year-old was on the bench for the first four goals of the game, with two by the Courage (an own goal attributed to Emily Menges in the first minute, and a 26th-minute marker by Kerolin) and two by the Thorns — both scored by Crystal Dunn in the 22nd and 52nd minute.

Pickett entered the game via substitution in the 59th minute, quickly making an impact just 11 minutes later.

Olivia Wingate slipped the ball through the legs of Thorns defender Menges just as Pickett found space in front of the net to collect a pass from her teammate and fire it past goalkeeper Bella Bixby.

WATCH | Pickett scores in debut with Courage:

It marks the first goal the 26-year-old has scored in the NWSL since April 2022, when Pickett scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 Kansas City Current win over the Houston Dash in the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup.

Canadian Christine Sinclair had two shots for the Thorns in 67 minutes of action.

The Thorns travel to Houston to take on the Dash next Friday, while North Carolina is set to host OL Reign next Sunday.