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May 01, 2025...AFC Toronto vs Calgary Wild game report by Rocket Robin
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Result and details of the Thursday May 01, 2025 Northern Super League game between AFC Toronto and Calgary Wild played
at York Lions Stadium in North York at 7:00pm.
AFC Toronto (all maroon uniforms, white names and numbers, vermillion trim)
................................1 Sofia Manner
5 Croix Soto...4 Nikayla Small...3 Hue-Ji Hong...19 Ashley Cathro
12 Shaina Ashouri...8 Emma Regan (cpt)...94 Victoria Pickett...31 Colby Barnett
.............23 Esther Okoronkwo...11 Kaylee Hunter
Subs:...21 Sierra Cota-Yarde (gk)...2 April Lantaigne (mid)...6 Kaela Hansen (def)...13 Aoi Kizaki (mid)
...14 Sarah Rollins (def)...17 Nyota Katembo (mid)...18 Ivymae Perez (mid)...22 Cloey Uddenberg (mid)
team officials:...head coach Marko Milanovic...assistant coach Sylvia Forbes...goalkeeper coach Rasih Pala
...physical trainer Maddie Gonzalez...doctor Dev Aulakh...medical staff Kia Halsall and Karla Leong
...kitman Keyosha Donkor
Calgary Wild (white socks, turquoise shorts and lower chest, pink shoulders, black names and numbers)
............................1 Stephanie Bukovec
2 Grace Stordy...5 Meikayla Moore...9 Mijke Roelfsema...3 Ally Green
...28 Meggie Dougherty Howard (cpt)...20 Sarah Griffith...6 Jackie Sawicki
...18 Serita Thurton...15 Kahli Johnson...30 Taegan Stewart
Subs:...25 Jackie Burns (gk)...7 Daleigh Boeckx (def)...8 Sonia O'Neill (mid)...11 Tilly James (def)
...12 Christie Gray (fwd)...14 Maddy Wilson (mid)...16 Jenaya Robertson (--)...17 Danielle Steer (fwd)
...19 Keelyn Stewart (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Lydia Bedford...assistant coaches Sinead McSharry and Diogo Raposo
...physical trainer Carla Vandenberg...other officials Mack Roche and Devon Dupuis...team manager Karla Grisdale
Game officials:...referee Saima Flores-Desrochers...referee's assistants Gabrielle Lemieux and Camille Raymond
...fourth official Caraly Shaw-MacLaren...(black socks and shorts, chartreuse shirts)...referee assessor Amato De Luca
A moment of silence was held for the victims of the Lapu Lapu Day Block Party killings in Vancouver on the weekend.
First Half:...game starts 7:09pm...AFC defends south end with a downpour coming down until about the 35 minute mark.
1 min...AFC pass from 35 yard line rolls ball wide left well ahead of AFC players who didn't run forward..
2 min...AFC Regan 40 yard freekick from left has Wild player pop up header twice and second time pops it back towards 6 yard
box where a defender heads it away and AFC Hunter knocks it wide left over end line.
4 min...AFC goalie slides to left to smother through ball pass at 3 yards.
5 min...AFC Barnett 30 yard freekick from right sideline near 22 yard line has defenders clear from box. Wild start fast breakout but
two defenders catch Wild Stewart to poke ball away at 20 yard line.
7 min...AFC Barnett has low cross from left along 15 yard line that's cleared.
8 min...AFC Okoronkwo runs to right end line beating defender who falls but taps ball out when she tries to dribble along line.
10 min...AFC Small on right after long has pass received and dribbles forward into box and a defender slides to block pass on left side
of box but goalkick is awarded to Wild.
12 min...AFC Okoronkwo shot from 10 yards on far right is caught by goalie.
13 min...Wild YELLOW card...Stordy earns it for bumping over AFC Pickett rush at 40 yards on left.
14 min...AFC Regan 40 yard freekick from left is rolled forward for charging AFC Barnett who runs to 12 yard line
and crosses ball through box and whistle blown for AFC Small slide at 15 yards upending Wild Johnson.
14 min...AFC goalie is out to top right of box to slide and clear ball before Wild Thurton can get to it.
16 min...AFC goalie stops low 20 yard shot up middle from Wild Griffith.
16 min...AFC Soto retreats and makes Wild Johnson on breakaway rush shot from 18 yards on slight left that goalie catches.
17 min...Wild Johnson tap-in goal is ruled offside back at 15 yard line.
19 min...Wild Griffith gets through defence up middle to chip 18 yard shot that goalie catches.
23 min...AFC Hong key stop of low cross sent in from righty by Wild Stordy than passes from 6 yard box to start fast break.
24 min...Wild Sawicki chips 30 yard shot over players down middle and goalie catches.
25 min...AFC Esther Okoronkwo GOAL...AFC goalie Sofia Manner sends long kick down middle from own 15 yard line.
Ball is over the head of set of two players jumping for it at center line and bounces forward for Okoronkwo to chest
it down, turn, and tap ball to left for AFC Nikayla Small who one touches ball forward that splits defence for charging
Okoronko to recover at 25 yard line and on break up middle rolls 10 yarder into left side of net beyond sliding goalie
Stephanie Bukovec at 6 yards.
26 min...AFC Pickett comes over to sideline to change her ripped jersey.
32 min...Wild Moore shanks clearance in box for cornerkick to AFC.
32 min...AFC Barnett cornerkick from right has goalie catch ball in crowd of players on near post.
35 min...AFC Ashouri wins cornerkick on cross near right end line.
35 min...AFC Barnett high cornerkick from right lands near top left of 18 yard box and pass is blocked then punted downfield.
37 min...AFC Hong heads away ball inside AFC 6 yard box on Wild player's cross near left end line.
38 min...Wild Dougherty Howard wins freekick on edge of box on tackle.
39 min...Wild Dougherty Howard chips 19 yard freekick into FC wall of players at 8 yards and ball is cleared.
39 min...Wild Johnson low 12 yard shot from far left is stopped by goalie.
42 min...Wild Stewart sends in through ball pass from 35 yards that has AFC goalie beat Wild Griffith to smother at 13 yards.
42 min...Wild Thurton low 15 yard shot from right is smothered by goalie diving to left side of net.
43 min...AFC Regan dribbles to left end line and wins cornerkick on low cross that deflects off defender.
43 min...AFC Regan high cornerkick on left has defender on right side of box in crowd of players head pop up at 8 yards
and ball pops over end line.
44 min...AFC Barnett high cornerkick from right has goalie catch in between crowd of players in 6 yard box.
46 min...half ends 7:55pm.
Halftime: There is no organized entertainment for the fans. The endzone food court is quite crowded now. A big crowd has filled
in the stands!
Second Half:...starts 8:12pm.
47 min...AFC Hunter low 33 yard blast from slight right has goalie dive left to stop and crawl to smother.
50 min...AFC Small taps pass from right along 15 yard line into box but defenders clear starting a fast breakout.
52 min...AFC Barnett cross from 15 yard line is wide left has goalie step forward to catch ahead of AFC players.
53 min...AFC Esther Okoronkwo GOAL...Okoronkwo runs down right wing after receiving pass from
AFC Victoria Pickett and while cutting in towards goal bends 25 yarder from right into the top left corner
out of reach of goalie.
55 min...AFC Hunter is a step behind getting to rolled pass at 18 yards would have had clear shot.
57 min...AFC Okoronkwo rush up right and has battle with goalie outside box on right who can't clear ball near sideline.
61 min...AFC Okoronkwo on 1 v 4 in middle holds up and passes to AFC Barnett who hits top of bar on 22 yard blast from slight left.
62 min...Wild sub...Wilson replaces Stewart.
............Wild sub...Boeckx replaces Thurton.
............Wild Robertson replaces Sawicki.
64 min...AFC Small and Ashouri on play on right pass into box and AFC Hunter is hurt trying to get to ball in middle.
66 min...Wild Johnson wins freekick and is is hurt on play with push from behind by AFC Regan and needs trainer at AFC 30 yard
line on left.
67 min...Wild Dougherty Howard freekick from AFC 35 yard line on left falls into box and is cleared.
70 min...AFC Small cross near right end line has Wild Moore make key header that stops AFC Okoronkwo's chance for a header
in 6 yard box.
71`min...AFC YELLOW card...Okoronkwo earns it for kicking ball away to delay a Wild freekick at Wild's 25 yard line! (or it might have been dissent).
72 min...A Canada goose flies over the field and gets a big laugh from the crowd. (after the game I saw it settled on the field).
73 min...Wild Dougherty Howard 35 yard freekick from left has Wild player's header in crowd of players in box sent towards goal
with Wild Moore missing redirecting ball at 3 yards and AFC goalie makes big foot save at 2 yards.
74 min...Wild player's high cornerkick from right has ball popped up on header and defender clears.
74 min...AFC sub...Kizaki replaces Ashouri.
75 min...AFC YELLOW card...Hong earns it for knock down in middle at AFC 35 yard line.
76 min...Wild Dougherty Howard chips 35 yard freekick down middle and leaping AFC Soto heads ball away on edge of 18 yard box.
78 min...Fire Green sends through ball pass on left to Wild Johnson who has shot from 15 yards tippe by a defender and stopped
and cleared by another defender on edge of 6 yard box.
80 min...AFC Hunter is injured and wins freekick at Wild 25 yard line in bump with Wild Moore.
.........Wild YELLLOW card...Moore earns it for her bump on AFC Hunter.
81 min...Wild sub...Steer replaces Griffith.
81 min...AFC Barnett 25 yard freekick from middle hits head in player wall. AFC Pickett chips 20 yard rebound well over net.
83 min...Wild Sawicki is injured near center line but play carries on.
85 min...Wild Meikayla Moore GOAL...Wild Meggie Dougherty Howard sends 30 yard freekick down the middle
and Moore leaping in crowd of players heads 5 yarder into bottom corner of net with goalie Sofia Manner caught
in middle of net.
86 min...Wild sub...Keelyn Stewart replaces Green before restart.
88 min...Wild Roelfsema chips 40 yarder down middle that goalie palms over ball.
89 min...Wild Wilson cornerkick from left has AFC Pickett head away in middle of box starting a fast break out.
90 min...AFC sub...Katembo replaces Hunter.
91 min...AFC defenders make frantic tries to clear danger. AFC Soto is injured in box including ball that lands on her
as she's on ground.
93 min...AFC Pickett breakaway at center line even rounding goalie but two retreaating defenders block her path and retreating
goalie gets back in play to stop her just inside Wild box.
95 min...game ends 9:02pm.
Final Score:......AFC Toronto.......2......Calgary Wild.......1.......
Attendance was not announced at the game but was posted on the league website as 2200. That was very impressive as the place looked full despite the brutal weather conditions. It was cool, rainy, and windy. The rain had been constantly start/stop/start for a few hours before the game. The place looked pretty empty just before game time but filled in quickly. York United FC of the CPL had take fan surveys for years and made the move to start their weeknight games at 8:00pm because of fan complaints that rush hour traffice made the 7:00pm starts difficult to get to. It's a tough call because for young fans on a school night, the parents may not to want their children out so late. Earlier, on some message boards it was questioned whether the stadium capacity really is 4000, because the upper deck which has (estimates) of almost 1000 seats is never put on sale. I'd agree with that so 2200 out of 3000 looked pretty full to me. Tonight's turnout was so important for the team as everyone knew it would drop off after the novelty of playing their opener at BMO Field to maximize the publicity for this city and Canada (as if the first game of on the earlier Wednesday in Vancouver didn't count because it was on too late for the eastern timezones and didn't make the morning paper in Toronto). The dropoff wasn't unexpected for a midweek game in a smaller stadium. Nigerian international scored both AFC goals tonight for only the second and third in club history. She hada a chance for a third which would have madae history in this young league. After the game when the team came over to the sidelines to thank the fans, she grabbed a giant team flag and ran with it down the sideline which got the team even more cheers. AFC were outshot in the game 14 to 8 with shots on target as 8 to 3 favouring the Wild. In the first half it was 7-1 in shots and 5-1 in shots on target. Okoronkwo made AFC's one first half shot count! A lot of forward passes rolled out of play over the endlnes on the rain slicked turf. Wild scored late while pressing at the end but AFC hung on for the four minutes addded. AFC had done the same as the Wild in their game last week with an even later goal to close in on Ottawa but couldn't get any closer than a 2-1 loss. Referee Salma Flores-Desrochera gave out five Yellow cards that I counted (two to AFC) on a fairly open game with lots of rushes back and forth on counters. Sliding tackles on this wet day were kept to a minimum. The food trucks in the south end zone rivaled York United but the largest looked like it was actually a huge tent for team sponsor Desjardins Insurance. There was rhythmic drumming throughout the game like there was at the BMO Field game. I thought it was canned tonight but it was pointed out (I didn't have the proper angle to see them) that the group was here. Great job. After the press conference some of the Wild players were still outside the gates waiting for the coach to take them to the hotel and the superfan was there getting autographs. I asked him if he goalie Stephanie Bukovec was still here. Yes and he had to point her out in a group of four players. I had my phone queued up to my web page with a photo I'd taken of her back when she played with the Toronto Lady Lynx way back in 2013. She said she didn't even remember that day and she later played for the opponents of that day Kitchener-Waterloo United. Her teammates also enjoyed the picture. The win improves AFC's record to 1 win, 2 losses, 0 ties for a three-way tie for third place in the six team league With Calgary and Ottawa. Calgary has an identical record with AFC in their three games but all their games have been on the road. They will be the last team to hold a home game next Sunday against Ottawa. Ottawa right now also has three points but all earned in the one game they played, hosting AFC last Sunday and winning 2-1. AFC's next game is Sunday May 11th here at York Lions Stadium at 2:00pm against Vancouver Rise. I commented on the home opener two weeks ago about the FotMob app carrying results of the game. Tonight it was still spinning with the message 'No match facts available'. Nothing but the score was shown unlike other leagues where the lineups are listed and a play-by-play and full stats and league standings are shown. Oh well, I guess every league starts somewhere.Rocket Robin
robin.glover.1958@gmail.com
These pictures are pretty brutal as the rain washing down the windows for the first half makes most of my shots very blurry. Better that I be inside though than my SSH seat as I wouldn't have been able to make any notes in my notebook (that's a pen on paper notebook).
AFC Toronto starters
Calgary Wild FC starters
Wild Taegan Stewart (30) takes opening kickoff.
Wild Maggie Dougherty Howard (28) takes freekick into AFC player wall.
AFC Esther Okoronkwo (23) has just kicked off second half.
Wild Meggie Dougherty Howard (28) send in freekick.
The ball is loose in the AFC box.
Wild player's cornerkick sails into AFC box.
AFC Nyota Katembo (17) sends throw-in downfield.
Handshakes after the game.
AFC Esther Okoronkwo (23) waves the AFC flag celebrating the team's first ever win.
May 01, 2025...AFC Toronto vs Calgary Wild game stats (from nsl.ca)
Match Stats
Toronto Calgary
Possession Percentage 46 % 54 %
Total Shots 8 14
On Target Shot 3 8
Total Passes 309 376
Accurate Passes 224 299
Total Touches 524 606
Corners Taken 4 2
Total Crosses 15 11
Offsides 2 4
Clearances 25 25
Yellow Cards 2 2
Red Cards 0 0
Match facts
Stadium York Lions Stadium
Referee Salma Flores-Desrochers
Assistant referees Gabrielle Lemieux Camille Raymond
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