AFC Toronto earned its fourth straight victory as they defeated Ottawa Rapid FC 3-0 on Thursday night at York Lions Stadium.
“I think those losses [to Ottawa], both of them, really fueled us,” said captain Emma Regan post-game, “One thing this team does exceptionally well is bounce back. We don’t let setbacks bring us down; instead, we use them as fuel for what’s next. I told the team going in, ‘Today is our redemption,’ and we definitely fulfilled that.”
Back-to-back braces from Kaylee Hunter and a debut goal for Cloey Uddenberg solidified Toronto’s place at the top of the table coming out of the international break.
Hunter strikes early
Toronto was threatening in the opening stages, as their midfield was active, pushing the pace into Ottawa’s defensive end.
In the 18th minute, Toronto’s attacking press led to their first goal. Stripping the ball from Jyllissa Harris in the middle of the pitch, Nikayla Small sent Hunter in on goal, who made no mistake sliding it under Ottawa goalkeeper Mollie Eriksson to give Toronto the early 1-0 lead.
Moments later, Hunter made a nifty turn down the touchline to get past her defender and sent a teasing ball into Jade Kovacevic, but her shot was blocked at the last minute by Olivia Scott.
There were glimpses of individual skill from the Toronto offense as they played through the channels of space. Nyota Katembo was also lively down the wing in her first start since the start of the season.
In the 25th minute, Toronto doubled its lead off a miscommunication in the Ottawa backline. Off a long ball sent over the top by Colby Barnett, defender Susanne Haaland left it to be dealt with by Eriksson, who came outside of the box to retrieve the pass. Pressured by Hunter at the top of the box, Eriksson scrambled back into the penalty area, but Hunter picked her pocket and calmly passed the ball into the empty net to give Toronto the 2-0 lead.
“Every goal I score fuels me to go get more. In every game, I’ve been working hard to hit the back of the net, and that just keeps me motivated,” said Hunter post-game, “I’m focused on putting in strong performances, and hopefully more goals will come. I’ve got my eyes on the top scorer spot, so I’ll just keep pushing toward that.”
Opportunities come close for Ottawa
Off the back of a defensive miscue, Ottawa had an opportunity to take advantage of one in the Toronto backline. In the 36th minute, Croix Soto ran into Stella Downing at the edge of the box, where Delaney Pridham latched onto the loose ball. Taking a touch inside, Pridham unleashed a shot that went off the near post, into the path of Melanie Forbes, who potted it into the back of the net. However, Ottawa’s celebrations were cut short as the assistant referee signalled offside.
Minutes later, Ottawa had another great opportunity to get on the scoresheet. Receiving a pass just outside the penalty box, Lee Min-A made a quick turn to beat Emma Regan and drive into the box. Hitting a shot labeled for the far post, Toronto goalkeeper Sofia Manner made a great diving stop to keep the clean sheet alive.
After an exciting first half, the second was a tighter and more physical affair.
Speaking about the game’s physicality, Milanovic said, “We pride ourselves on playing with intensity and winning our duels – it’s the kind of game we prefer. Honestly, we like matches where not everything gets called. If we had to choose, that’s the style we’d take every time.”
Ottawa teased with opportunities in Toronto’s defensive end, but Toronto was more compact in their defensive shape, not allowing Ottawa to find the final pass inside.
In the 82nd minute, Toronto had a great opportunity in front of the goal. Driving into the box, Small’s deflected shot landed at the feet of Uddenberg, whose half volley went straight into the hands of Eriksson.
Uddenberg would find the back of the net with her second chance of the night. In the 90th minute, two direct, quick passes from Regan and Kovacevic sent Uddenberg in on goal, where she hit a shot first time past Eriksson to score her debut goal in the NSL. After not playing since the opening two matches of the season, Uddenberg’s offensive spark is a testament to the depth of Toronto’s squad this season.
This sentiment was echoed by Milanovic post-game, “Cloey played the first two games of the season and hasn’t seen a minute since, but if you were in our environment every day, you’d never know that. She does absolutely everything right. These players will tell you the same: the way she trains, takes care of her body, and puts in extra work daily is incredible. She’s a great example of what it means to stay ready and be rewarded for doing all the right things. She’s waited a long time for that moment, and I’m really happy for her – we all are.”
On the team’s four-game winning streak, Regan commented on the team’s resilience. “I think we’re really proud to be at the top of the table, but we’ve always believed we had the ability to get here. As Marko says, it’s a testament to the character of this team – even when things haven’t gone smoothly, we’ve pushed through and delivered when it mattered. This is the payoff for that resilience, and we’re committed to keeping that mindset for the rest of the season.”
AFC Toronto’s next match will be away at Wanderers Grounds to face Halifax Tides FC on Tuesday, July 15. Ottawa Rapid FC will also be on the road for their next match as they face Calgary Wild FC on Saturday, July 19, at McMahon Stadium.
