HARRISON, NJ — NJ/NY Gotham FC's Lynn Williams broke the NWSL's all-time goal scoring record on Sunday, scoring her 79th career goal in her team's match against the Chicago Red Stars.
Williams scored her historic goal in the 57th minute with a close-range header following a pass from Esther Gonzalez, the opening goal of the match. It was her third goal of the nine-match season, leading her team in that category so far in 2024.
The U.S. women's national team forward surpassed the record set by Sam Kerr, who played in the league from 2013 to 2019. Williams matched Kerr's previous total earlier this month in Gotham's 1-0 win at the Houston Dash.
Williams has been a prolific scorer since joining the Western New York Flash – now the North Carolina Courage following an ownership change and relocation – as a rookie in 2015. She made a name for herself in North Carolina, where she scored 42 goals in 81 league appearances, but continued her impressive goalscoring streak when she joined Gotham ahead of the 2023 NWSL season. She has scored eleven goals in thirty appearances for the club to date from New Jersey.
Although she played for the USWNT U23 team, Williams used the NWSL to really boost her profile and become a regular on the national team. The 30-year-old spent much of her early career in the bubble but was part of the bronze medal-winning team at the pandemic-postponed Tokyo Olympics and the USWNT squad for the 2023 Women's World Cup broke through.
She remains in strong focus ahead of July's Olympic Games in Paris, which will mark the first major tournament for the USWNT after Emma Hayes takes over next month. Williams was part of the rebuilding squad under interim head coach Twila Kilgore and featured in the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, scoring one goal in four matches.
Gotham currently sits seventh in the NWSL with three wins after nine games.
