Sam Kerr becomes first player to score 80 NWSL goals

On Friday, Gotham FC defeated the Kansas City Current 2-1 in an NWSL regular-season match. The game began dramatically when Current forward Amelia White scored the fastest goal in NWSL regular-season history, finding the net just 22 seconds after kickoff. Gotham responded with two first-half goals, including a strike from Sam Kerr in the 41st minute. That goal was Kerr's 31st for Gotham and her 80th career NWSL regular-season goal, making her the first player in league history to reach that milestone. She also became the first Gotham franchise player to score 31 regular-season goals.

Kerr, an Australian international, returned to the NWSL this season after spending six and a half years with Chelsea FC in England. She signed a contract with Gotham through the 2030 season. During her time at Chelsea, she won five Women's Super League titles, three FA Cups, and three League Cups. She scored 116 goals for Chelsea and earned numerous individual honors, including back-to-back WSL Golden Boots, the FWA Women's Footballer of the Year, PFA Players' Player of the Year, and WSL Player of the Season.

Before her European stint, Kerr played three seasons with Sky Blue FC (now Gotham FC) from 2015 to 2017. In her final season with that team, she set a then-NWSL record with 17 goals, winning the NWSL Golden Boot and the NWSL Most Valuable Player award. Her latest achievement cements her status as one of the league's all-time greats, and her return to the NWSL has already made a significant impact.