Costa Rica’s Raquel Rodríguez impresses with NWSL goal

Decorated women’s football star Raquel Rodríguez helped the Portland Thorns defeat National Women’s Soccer League rivals OL Reign with an impressive goal on Wednesday night.

“Rocky” contributed to the Thorns’s 4-1 victory with a left-footed volley from the penalty-kick spot. It was Rodríguez’s first Thorns goal, and it was quite the memorable one. The Tica’s strike was so pure that she turned to celebrate before the ball had found the back of the net.

Take a look:

Her first Thorns goal, and it’s a BEAUTY. Take a bow, @raque_rocky.#PORvRGN | #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/3uVDDnk5Vt

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) October 1, 2020

“I’ve seen only one picture [of the goal], but that’s like a dream goal that you would want to score not only in Providence Park but your first goal with the Thorns,” Rodríguez told ThornsFC after the match. “What a special night for me, and of course, for the team as well.”

Impressing on the pitch is nothing new for Rodríguez. The San José native starred in college at Penn State, where she scored the game-winning goal in the national championship. Selected second overall in the 2016 NWSL Draft, Rodríguez immediately made an impact and was named the league’s Rookie of the Year.

During her international career with La Sele, “Rocky” is perhaps best-known for her performance at the 2015 World Cup, when she scored Costa Rica’s first-ever World Cup goal in a tie against Spain.

Rodríguez was traded to Portland earlier this year.