Ashley Sanchez Leads NWSL Golden Boot Race

Ashley Sanchez leads the NWSL Golden Boot race with 13 goals after scoring a brace against the Boston Legacy on Saturday. Her first goal came from a run down the sideline and a hard shot into the far post, while the second was a penalty kick converted in the 17th minute of stoppage time following a VAR review and a conceded foul by Bianca St-Georges. Sanchez has been in a flow state all season, scoring both goals in a 2-0 win over Angel City on Wednesday night, including a one-touch finish and a slot between the keeper’s legs.

Barbra Banda, despite missing time due to WAFCON duty, remains a top contender with 12 goals in 17 appearances, including an assist that led to Haley McCutcheon’s goal in her second game back from international duty. Banda’s ability to create chances even when not scoring keeps her in the race, though she has not added to her goal tally since July.

Temwa Chawinga, the two-time Golden Boot and MVP winner, has nine goals so far in 2025, maintaining a rate of 1.06 goals per 90 minutes despite playing for a Kansas City Current team not performing at its previous level. Her absences due to injury and international duty with Malawi have limited her appearances, but her scoring consistency remains elite.

Three players are tied at 10 goals: Evelyn Ijeh of North Carolina, Trinity Rodman of Washington, and Sophia Wilson of Chicago. Ijeh, in her first NWSL season, has scored 10 goals in her last 12 games, marking the third time a North Carolina team has had two double-digit goal scorers in a season, joining the 2022 Courage and the 2016 Western New York Flash. Rodman is leading Washington in goals and assists after an injury-plagued 2024, while Wilson, returning from maternity leave, has formed a potent strike partnership with Pietra Tordin.

Kat Rader of the Houston Dash is tied with Chawinga at nine goals, leading her team’s underdog campaign as a rookie. Below them, Trinity Byars (San Diego Wave), Janine Sonis (Denver Summit), and Mina Tanaka (Utah Royals are at eight goals each, with Byars playing her first full season after an ACL injury, Sonis finding vintage form as captain, and Tanaka finally clicking with her squad.

With a third of the season remaining, the Golden Boot race remains wide open, driven by elite individual performances across multiple teams. The source of this report is Defector.com.