OTTAWA, ON โย With 17-year-old Olivia Chisholmโs goal in the 39th minute, AFC Toronto won the Northern Super Leagueโs Diana B. Matheson Cup in a 1-0 victory over Montreal Roses FC.
Toronto secured their second consecutive NSL Final berth following an 8-2 aggregate victory over Ottawa Rapid FC in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Montreal earned their spot in the championship match after a 5-2 aggregate win over Vancouver Rise FC in the other semifinal.
After losing 2-1 to Vancouver in last yearโs first-ever NSL final, Toronto had a chance at redemption โ aiming to become the first team in the league to lift two trophies. Montreal had the same ambition, having already claimed the Supportersโ Shield in the final game of the regular season.
Despite the many experienced players both teams had in their roster, it was up to teenager Chisholm โ crowned Most Valuable Player of the Final โ to score the goal that meant that AFC Toronto could finally lift the Diana B. Matheson Cup.
โAn incredible feeling. Obviously, for me, honestly, the biggest thing is seeing everyone so happy: players, their families, friends, everyone that made the trip from Toronto to watch us and support us,โ said head coach Marko Milanoviฤ after the match. โTo me, that’s the best thing out of all of this. Just kind of taking a step back and just seeing how happy everyone is, that makes it all worth it.โ
The final kicked off with both teams very well organized and sticking to their tactical strengths; AFCโs 3-4-3 faced Montrealโs 4-1-4-1 middle block. In the opening minutes, Toronto slowly built their play and recycled the ball, while Montreal took advantage of their midfield turnovers.
Zoe Hasenauer and Chisholmโs performances in the midfield made Montrealโs recovering efforts very difficult, forcing the Roses to take their five chances in the first half from the edge of the box, which proved unsuccessful as none of them went on target.
Torontoโs defensive efforts transitioned to cleaner chances in the final third, and in the 39th minute, Chisholm, who was doing everything right defensively, got rewarded with the defining goal of the game.
The goal developed from the right wing after Lauren Rowe created a quick give-and-go with Kaylee Hunter, who sent Rowe into open space. After beating Lisa Pechersky with her speed, the winger placed the ball close to the penalty spot. Chisholm smacked the ball with her right foot and curved it into the side net, scoring her first goal with Toronto, as well as her first one as a professional.
โIt feels really special to score my first goal in this final,โ Chisholm said. โI’ve been waiting all season to score my first goal, so it’s a pretty good time to score and to celebrate with all my teammates and coaching staff.โ
โI knew that the space was there for me. And as it left my foot, I kind of had a good feeling that I was going to go in, and then it did.โ
Toronto went into halftime with the 1-0 lead, much like they did in last year’s final, but they were determined to ensure a different outcome in the second half. Montreal closed the half with more to wish for, but knowing the game wasnโt lost yet.
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โI told the team that [their performance just before halftime] was great because we had just started imposing ourselves, we had just started to play, it was a tight game, and we were playing really well โฆ but not at our potential,โ said Montreal interim head coach Maryse Bard-Martel after the match. โThe good news was that we had the opportunity to go out there and play the way we wanted to play, and that we were just starting to be sharp.โ
Montreal tried controlling the momentum to kick off the second half, but AFC dealt with the ghosts in the rearview mirror and continued dominating the gameโeven coming close to scoring the second after Shelina Zadorsky hit the post following a corner in the 53rd minute.
The Roses struggled to gain control of the game, and in the 62nd minute Bard-Martel brought in Tanya Boychuk and Hailey Whitaker, providing new attacking threats on the wings.
The changes worked in Montreal’s favor, getting closer to goal and registering nine shots and two on target until the 76th minute, but their efficiency in the final third didnโt allow them to convert. Toronto reacted to the change of momentum, bringing Zoe Burns on for April Lantaigne as a wing-back.
Despite Montrealโs efforts, Toronto managed the pressure and, in injury time, every Toronto attacker went near the corner flag as soon as they gained possession, wasting time and protecting the result.
Time ran out for Montreal, and the referee blew the final whistle after a very hard-fought battle between both teams.
โWe are learning and becoming more structured as a team. We are on the right track, and this experience will help us moving forward. We will now focus on new goals and continue working toward them,โ said Charlotte Bilbaut in French during the press conference. โUnfortunately, we did not achieve our most important objective, but we will carry that ambition into the next season.โ
With the win, Toronto was crowned champion, making them the only NSL team with two trophies.
โWe love to make history on this team, so [being the first team with two trophies] that’s a plus,โ Nikki Small told The IX Sports. “Felt amazing last year celebrating the Shield; this is even better because it’s the finals. And next year I think we’re looking to do both.”
Small was the one in charge of lifting the Diana B. Matheson Cup, and after experiencing the other side of the coin last year against Vancouver, Torontoโs captain finally presented the trophy that both players and fans longed for so much.
โJust from the staff perspective, really a privilege to stand by these girls every single day, show them day in and day out what it means to be a champion,โ said Toronto assistant coach Sylvia Forbes during the press conference. โSometimes that doesn’t mean you get the medal around your neck, but today that was filled by their hard work, and they’re just the most deserving players.โ
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