AFC Toronto fell 3-0 to Vancouver Rise FC on Saturday, July 18, at York Lions Stadium, dropping to fourth in the Northern Super League standings after Vancouver overtook them with the win. This game was a critical decider in Toronto-Vancouver history, as AFC had previously ranked third in the standings while Vancouver followed closely behind in fourth.
Vancouver opened the scoring in the second minute when Anna Bout netted her second goal of the season off an assist from Quinn. In the eighth minute, Quinn set up Vancouver’s second goal with a precise pass into a header by Jessica De Filippo, bringing the game to 2-0. The pair of assists marked Quinn’s first and second of the season.
Tori Tumeth extended Vancouver’s lead in the 11th minute, scoring her first NSL goal of the season. The match also marked goalkeeper Sierra Cota-Yarde’s return from injury, her first appearance since May 3. She did a phenomenal job in holding off Vancouver for the rest of the game, making four crucial saves. Toronto created opportunities, but ultimately were unable to capitalize on them.
The game ended 3-0 in favour of Rise FC, snagging Toronto’s position of third from right underneath them. Regarding the loss, Head Coach Marko Milanović says, “we’ve had games like this last year as well… I’m convinced that we can do it and that we will do it. Thursday night will be a really tough game against Montréal, but we very much look forward to that.”
Captain Nikki Small shares her perspective on the disappointing outcome., “Honestly, that wasn’t us,” she remarks. Already strategizing for future games, Small notes that “it was a chance to come together, regroup, and get back on the same page. It’s unfortunate we weren’t able to finish some of the chances we had.”
Despite the defeat, Cota-Yarde’s post-injury performance as goalkeeper serves as a reminder of her prowess as she reassumes the position from Sofia Manner. Following the goalkeeper switch, Manner parted ways with AFC Toronto last Friday in a mutual decision, looking to pursue opportunities in Europe. In an official statement released by the club, Technical Director Billy Wilson thanked Manner “for the 18 months she has spent with AFC Toronto and for everything she has contributed to the club during that time.” It is a sad day for AFC fans; Manner’s determination as she navigated various hurdles set by opposing teams will not be forgotten.
AFC Toronto now has a 2-0-2 (W-D-L) record against Rise FC this season. Toronto returns to action against Montréal on Thursday, July 23 at 7 p.m. As for their rivalry with Vancouver, they will get a final opportunity to prove themselves this season on Oct. 4 at York Lions Stadium. That match will double as the quarterfinal for the newly announced W Canadian Championship.
With three upcoming matches taking place on our very own pitch, York soccer fans have ample opportunity to attend an AFC Toronto game before the season concludes. York Lions Stadium will be hosting the team once more on Tuesday, July 28 as they face off against Calgary Wild FC. For those unable to show their support in person, games can be streamed on TSN+, ESPN+, and nsl.ca.
