By Dagim Tekle | The Voice of Women Sport
AFC Toronto suffered its first defeat in seven matches on Saturday afternoon after Ottawa Rapid FC claimed a hard-fought 2-1 victory at York Lions Stadium, ending the club’s impressive unbeaten run in the Northern Super League.
The result was a frustrating one for the home side, who had taken an early lead and produced a determined performance despite playing much of the second half with ten players. While the loss halted Toronto’s recent momentum, the club remains third in the league standings with 15 points and firmly in the playoff race.
Toronto could hardly have asked for a better start. Just minutes after kickoff, Lauren Rowe continued her outstanding scoring form by finishing confidently from close range after excellent work by Kaylee Hunter, who collected her first assist of the season. The goal was Rowe’s fifth in her last six league appearances, further strengthening her position among the Northern Super League’s leading scorers.
Ottawa, however, refused to be unsettled by the early setback. The visitors gradually settled into the match before Min-A Lee restored parity ten minutes later with a composed finish that shifted the momentum.
The contest remained evenly balanced until shortly after halftime, when AFC Toronto faced a major turning point. Midfielder Colby Barnett was shown a straight red card, reducing the hosts to ten players and forcing head coach Marko Milanović to reorganize his side for the remainder of the match.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Toronto continued to threaten on the counterattack and arguably produced some of the better scoring opportunities after the dismissal. Their resilience kept Ottawa at bay for much of the second half, but the breakthrough eventually came late in the contest when the visitors capitalized on a corner kick to score what proved to be the winning goal.
Toronto threw players forward in search of an equalizer during stoppage time, yet Ottawa defended resolutely to leave York Lions Stadium with all three points.
Although disappointed with the outcome, Milanović praised the determination shown by his players under difficult circumstances.
“Obviously the red card changed the game completely, but I thought even with 10 players we actually created better chances than Ottawa. I can’t be too upset about the effort, but obviously it didn’t go our way. It was a tough loss to take, but there’s so much soccer to be played.”
His assessment reflected a performance that, despite ending in defeat, demonstrated the character that has helped AFC Toronto establish itself among the league’s top teams this season.
There were still encouraging individual performances. Rowe’s remarkable scoring streak continued as the 22-year-old striker maintained her place among the league’s Golden Boot contenders, while Hunter celebrated her first assist of the campaign. Defender Croix Soto also marked another milestone by making her first start of the season.
The defeat also altered Toronto’s season series against Ottawa, leaving AFC Toronto with one draw and one loss against Rapid FC in 2026.
Attention now turns to next Saturday when AFC Toronto welcomes Vancouver Rise FC to York Lions Stadium. With the playoff race becoming increasingly competitive, Milanović’s side will be eager to return to winning ways and ensure Saturday’s disappointment becomes nothing more than a temporary setback in an otherwise encouraging campa
