Sinclair sets playoff minutes record as Thorns beat Current for NWSL title

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sophia Smith, the season's Most Valuable Player, scored early and the Portland Thorns won their third National Women's Soccer League championship Saturday night with a 2-0 victory over the Kansas City Current.

The Thorns also won NWSL championships in 2013, the league's inaugural season, and again in 2017. The three titles are the most for any team in the league.

Canada skipper Christine Sinclair captained Portland to her third championship, all with the Thorns, setting a league record for playoff minutes played in the process. She came off in the 73rd minute.

Fellow Canadian Janine Beckie came on in the 63rd minute for the Thorns, whose head coach is former Canadian international Rhian Wilkinson, in her first year at the Portland helm. Portland's GM is former Canadian goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc.

The Current had a costly turnover before Smith went down the field, maneuvered around goalkeeper Adrianna Franch and deftly scored in the fourth minute.

Smith nearly had another goal in the 27th minute, but her shot went just wide. Smith is the second MVP recipient to score in the championship game, joining Lynn Williams for North Carolina in 2016. At 22, she's also the youngest player to score in a league final.

Smith was honored as MVP earlier this week after scoring a club-record 14 goals during the regular season.

An own goal off Kansas City's Addisyn Merrick doubled Portland's lead in the 56th minute. Moments later, Morgan Weaver had a shot from distance but Franch got a hand on it before it hit the crossbar and caromed away.

Canadian international Desiree Scott started for Kansas City.

Audi Field was nearly sold out for the game, which was broadcast in primetime on network television for the first time.

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