HER GAME TORONTO

NINA FEDAI / HGT

For the fifth and final time this season, AFC Toronto and the Halifax Tides went head-to-head—and for the first time, neither side could find a winner. In front of 2,822 fans, Sunday’s match ended 1-1, with both goals coming in the first half.

Halifax struck first, capitalizing on an AFC defensive lapse to take the lead. But Toronto answered before the break when Esther Okoronkwo buried a penalty to level the score. From there, the match turned into a tactical chess game, with both teams trading half-chances but neither finding the breakthrough.

“We had some ideas how to break them down, but we didn’t always execute,” admitted head coach Marko Milanovic afterward. “The final ball or the timing of the run wasn’t always right. It’s definitely a lesson for us—top teams will come here and play that way, so we have to be ready.”

Despite the draw, AFC extends its unbeaten run in the season series to 5-0-1 against Halifax, having previously won four straight by one-goal margins. For a team that has already clinched a playoff spot—the first in Northern Super League history—this was less about standings and more about sharpening edges before the postseason.

Captain Emma Regan, who leads the league in minutes played, emphasized the bigger picture:

“Every game is the same for us—we treat it the same way,” said Regan. “We’ve talked about peaking at the right time. There have been ups and downs this season, but we’ve been steadily moving in the right direction.”

Key Performers

• Esther Okoronkwo (#23): Calm and clinical from the penalty spot for her sixth goal of the season.
• Kaylee Hunter (#11): The 17-year-old Golden Boot contender was everywhere, linking plays, creating chances, and keeping Halifax’s backline under constant pressure.
• Colby Barnett (#31): Put in a tireless shift, breaking up plays and driving the ball forward in transition.
• Sierra Cota-Yarde (#21): The league’s most reliable goalkeeper came up big once again, steady in the air and sharp off her line.
  

Milanovic credited Cota-Yarde’s preparation: “Our goalkeeper coach does a great job keeping everyone ready, but Sierra’s mental focus week after week is huge for us.”

Looking Ahead

AFC Toronto remains atop the NSL table with a 13-6-3 record and 42 points, still leading the league in goals scored (37). With the playoffs already secured, Toronto’s final matches will be about fine-tuning every detail before the semifinals.

“We preach consistency daily in training,” said Milanovic. “The result might change, but the mentality, the work, the controllables—those stay the same. We want to make marginal gains every week, especially in set pieces, because that could be the difference in the playoffs.”

Who Toronto faces in the semis remains undecided, with Montreal, Ottawa, and Vancouver locked in a tight race for second through fourth. For now, AFC remains focused on its own game—and on finishing the regular season strong.

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