Two brilliant goals from Nigerian striker Esther Okoronkwo helped secure AFC Toronto their first-ever win in a 2-1 victory over Calgary Wild FC on a cold and rainy night at York Lions Stadium in North York Thursday.
The Toronto club had lost its two previous NLS games heading into Thursday’s tilt, but they finally found their finishing touch in the final third to open up their offence.
A late goal from Meikayla Moore off a set-piece threatened the lead, but Toronto managed to hold on for their first three points.
- Photo gallery: AFC Toronto beat Calgary Wild FC in Northern Super League
“It was a hard-fought win,” said Toronto head coach Marko Milanovic post-game. “I thought in the first half, we struggled a little with our defensive shape. In our 5-3-2 zone, I thought our outside midfielders were too narrow at times and we couldn’t close down their fullbacks, but we fixed that in the second half.
“They are dangerous on set pieces, and we knew that coming in. They got one in late, but we were able to hold on and enjoy this win.”
Calgary Wild FC start well but fail to capitalize
Calgary found early success through smart link-up plays from forwards Sarah Griffith and Kahli Johnson. In the 17th minute, Johnson tested Toronto goalkeeper Sofia Manner from distance off a cut-back pass from Griffith. A minute later, Griffith sent in Johnson behind the line, but her half chance was easily saved.
Diagonal through balls from the Calgary midfield caused Toronto trouble as both Taegen Stewart and Jackie Sawicki found space to play balls in behind. Some defensive miscues from Toronto led to more half-chances and shots from distance from Griffith and Sawicki.
Loading ...“We set out to exploit their wing-backs,” explained Calgary coach Lydia Bedford post-game. We played with low full-backs. We got the ball wide early. We combined around their full-backs. I think Kahli Johnson had the right centre-back for Toronto on toast for the first 45 minutes. [The defender] kept dropping off her. She kept going at a one v one. She was outstanding, just missing that final shot.
“For me, you don’t change anything. You do it again and again with more intensity, and you hope that one of those chances turns into a goal. I think on any other day, that does.”
Toronto adapt to Calgary’s pressure
Toronto adapted to Calgary’s attacking pressure by pushing high on Calgary’s goal kicks and dropping back into a 5-3-2 formation, with Shaina Ashouri and Nikayla Small pushing back in support.
In the 26th minute, Toronto found the opening goal of the match. Manner launched a pass upfield off a dead ball in their own half that Okoronkwo controlled off the bounce. Playing a quick 1-2 pass with Small, Okoronkwo found daylight behind the defensive line and calmly slid the ball past Calgary goalkeeper Stephanie Bukovec into the bottom left corner to put Toronto ahead 1-0.
In the Toronto midfield, Emma Regan, Victoria Pickett, and Colby Barnett were outstanding throughout the match. They won key offensive and defensive battles, used their pace to drive at the Calgary defence, and led the transition game, creating goal-scoring opportunities.
Transition game key to Toronto’s success
After a rainy first half, the second half opened up for Toronto. Working on their defensive-to-offensive transition game, Toronto counter-attacked, shifting the pressure up the field. In her first start of the season, Kaylee Hunter looked lively as she found open positions and had an early shot on target from outside the box in the second half.
In the 54th minute, Toronto’s transition game paid off, and a moment of brilliance would create their second goal of the game. Recovering the ball in the defensive end, Pickett calmly turned and found time and space. Patiently carrying the ball up the middle, she found Okoronkwo out wide on the right. Okoronkwo drove at the Calgary defence and cut inside to her left, where she hit a beautiful curling shot from outside of the box into the top left corner to extend Toronto’s lead by 2.
Asked about her brace post-game, Okoronkwo was quick to give Milanovic credit. “It was more about my coach. The first one I had, I was a little slow in dribbling up, and on the second, he told me I had to go. I got this ball, dribbled, and then had a wonderful shot.”
Toronto continued to put on the pressure. In the 62nd minute, a well-driven shot from outside the box from Barnett hit off the crossbar. Small was a menace on both sides of the pitch as she terrorised the Calgary midfield throughout the match. Coming into the lineup for the first time, Soto and Cathro were shaky in the opening minutes but grew into the game and were solid defensively in the second half.
Milanovic gave Okoronkwo and Small praise post-game. “Esther, you saw the finishing quality. She can run in behind and challenge 1v1. Nikky, she did so much off the ball. She won so many duels, and she had an impact offensively and defensively.”
Calgary continued to be dangerous off set-pieces
Finding success this season off set-pieces, Calgary had great opportunities in the second half. In the 74th minute, a free-kick delivered by Meggie Dougherty Howard was redirected by Johnson into the feet of Meikayla Moore, whose scuffed shot in tight had to be quickly saved by Manner.
Moore would capitalize on another set-piece opportunity. In the 86th minute, a free-kick chipped into the centre of the box by Howard glanced off the heads of Toronto defender Hong Hye-Ji and Moore and sailed past Manner into the bottom left corner to put Calgary on the scoreboard.
Moments later, Calgary came close to an equalizer as a shot from distance by Mijke Roelfsema had to be tipped over the bar by Manner.
“At my previous club, set pieces were a big priority, said Bedford post-game, It’s something I’m passionate about, and my assistant Sinead has done a great job in trying to prepare the players. This team has a threat from set pieces in every game, and I think today we probably didn’t create enough set pieces.”
Toronto had a chance to extend their lead in the dying minute off a Calgary defensive miscue. Pickett scooped up the loose ball in the middle, ran past Bukovec, and stared into an empty net, but she elected to hold up play instead. Toronto was fortunate that Calgary’s press in the final seconds came to nothing, appealing for a handball, but Toronto managed to hang on to secure their first NSL win.
On her team’s performance, Bedford said post-game, “I think in the first five minutes we started a little shaky, but we shook that off. I think we dominated possession for almost all of the game, and in the first half created enough chances to have probably put the game to bed, but didn’t finish them, and their goal came against the run of play from a transition. I’m really proud of the players for how hard they fought, and the fact that we got a goal back towards the end was a sign of their belief in the plan and the energy, but it was a little bit too late. I’m overall proud that the players stuck with the plan and disappointed not to have taken anything from the game.”
This was echoed by Grace Stordy post-game.
“I think, like Lydia touched on, shaky in a few areas and times of the game, but I think you’ve got to give credit where credit’s due, and I think our girls really honed into the game plan we were given,” said Stordy. “We trusted Lydia, we trusted ourselves, we trusted the players on and off the field, and I don’t think we gave up until the 90th minute.”
Talking about the team chemistry, Small said post-game, “I think it’s just a testament to how hard we worked in the preseason. We’re still working on our chemistry, and you can see today that it’s finally clicking, and throughout the season, it’s going to be more and more goals just like that.”
Celebrating with the bench and the fans, Okoronkwo added, “We haven’t won a game, and we were 2-0 up, and we needed it. [Marko] told us to keep going and keep fighting. The support means a lot, even with the rain, they came out and supported us. It was motivating for us when we saw them, and they were cheering us on.”
Both teams’ next games will be on Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 11. AFC Toronto will host Vancouver Rise FC, while Calgary Wild FC will return home after a three-game road trip in their home opener against Ottawa Rapid FC.
