North Carolina Courage forward Ashley Sanchez extended her lead atop the NWSL Golden Boot race on Wednesday with a brace in a 2-0 victory over Angel City FC, bringing her total to 15 goals this season.
After the match, Courage head coach Mak Lind called Sanchez "incredible" and "so important for us."
Sanchez's 15 goals equal Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga's Golden Boot-winning tally from last season with nine games left to play.
Sanchez's form as the league's top scorer also begs questions as to whether United States head coach Emma Hayes will call up the forward for the first time in two years when the U.S. plays Spain in October.
"She has been incredible and she has only herself to thank," Lind said. "So, I'm happy for her, too, that she's able to show how good she is."
Sanchez now has three more goals than Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda, the next highest scorer this season.
Sanchez also broke a team record for goals in a season, besting Lynn Biyendolo's 14-goal tally for the Courage in a historic treble winning 2018 season for the Courage.
Fans at First Horizon Stadium in Cary, North Carolina, chanted "MVP" at Sanchez during the game.
"It's obvious," Courage goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan said. "They're just stating the obvious and they're cheering for their girl."
Wednesday's brace was Sanchez's fourth of the season. Her second goal came late in the match and was assisted by goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, who launched the ball over Angel City's high back line and put Sanchez in on goal following a run that started inside her own half.
"Honestly, when you score two goals and Ash is on fire, you get her the ball and that's the goal of the night," Sheridan said. "Get Ash the ball right now. She can't be stopped."
Sanchez's 15 goals in 21 games puts her in contention to break the single-season record of 20, which was set by Chawinga in 2024. (Chawinga scored 20 goals in 25 regular season games. This season is 30 games, the longest in NWSL history.)
"Honestly, I'm just really thankful for my team," Sanchez said after Wednesday's game. "We just really support each other and I've just never been with a group like this."
With Wednesday's victory, the Courage have 36 points and sit in fifth place on tiebreakers. Second through sixth is currently separated by one point. North Carolina's 38 goals scored in 21 games is the most in the NWSL this season.
Lind is in his first year as Courage head coach. He said that it quickly became clear to him that Sanchez should play on the wing, rather than her traditional central attacking midfielder role.
"Honestly, it didn't take a long time in this environment realizing that Ashley Sanchez should play on one of the corridors," Lind said.
"Right now, she plays on the left side. She has those attributes and qualities. We see them all the time now. For me, she can play in central spaces as a 10 or a pocket player, but for me she is a more wide player to cut in on the pitch and to be able to go both inside, outside -- very dangerous in moving the ball from different channels."
Whether Golden Boot form warrants a return to the USWNT remains to be seen.
Sanchez was part of the USWNT's 2023 World Cup team but did not play a single minute despite the pre-tournament expectation that she would fill in for Rose Lavelle, who was recovering from an injury at the start of that tournament.
Sanchez received some call-ups since Hayes was hired in late 2023, but Sanchez has not played for the United States since Oct. 30, 2024, when she started in a 3-0 win over Argentina.
Hayes has recently settled on a core group ahead of 2027 World Cup qualifying, and Sanchez is now competing against a deep winger pool that includes Trinity Rodman, Alyssa Thompson, Michelle Cooper and Emma Sears.
Rodman and striker Sophia Wilson have the next most goals this season among Americans in the NWSL with 10.
The USWNT hosts world No. 1 Spain in games on Oct. 10 and Oct. 13.