Esther Okoronkwo has successfully achieved her aim of reaching the Northern Super League inaugural championship game. The 28-year-old forward netted three goals within the first 26 minutes of the semifinal clash on Monday at a snowy York Lions Stadium. AFC Toronto, the regular-season champions, emerged victorious over the Montreal Roses with a scoreline of 4-1, securing a convincing 6-1 aggregate win over two legs. Lauren Rowe sealed the victory for Toronto with a fourth goal in the 83rd minute, while Tanya Boychuk managed to score a consolation goal for the Roses in the 74th minute.
Toronto is now set to face off against the Vancouver Rise in the NSL Final at BMO Field on Saturday. Vancouver clinched their spot in the final by defeating Ottawa 5-4 in a penalty shootout after their semifinal series ended tied 3-3 on aggregate.
Originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon, the second leg of the Toronto-Montreal series was postponed by a day due to adverse weather conditions and heavy snowfall in the Toronto region. Okoronkwo, who had an impressive record of eight goals and eight assists in 1,486 minutes of regular-season action, showcased her prowess by scoring in the seventh minute of Monday’s match, adding two more goals within the next 13 minutes to complete a first-half hat trick.
Toronto head coach Marko Milanović praised the team’s collective effort, highlighting the outstanding performance of Kaylee Hunter alongside Okoronkwo. Milanović commended Okoronkwo’s ability to deliver in crucial moments and expressed hope for her continued success in the final.
Midfielder Nikki Small shared insights into the team’s strategy for playing in the snowy conditions, emphasizing the importance of simplicity and direct play to navigate the challenging weather conditions. Toronto had secured a 2-0 victory in the first leg of the semifinal at Stade Boréale in Laval, Que., with goals from Small and Hunter.
Overall, AFC Toronto’s dominant display against the Montreal Roses sets the stage for an exciting NSL Final showdown against the Vancouver Rise, promising an intense battle for the inaugural championship title.