Late Montreal breakthrough hands AFC Toronto first loss of NSL season
In a tightly contested Northern Super League match at BMO Field, Montréal Roses FC defeated AFC Toronto 1-0, thanks to Elyse Bennett’s late goal in the 88th minute. This victory keeps Montréal perfect at 3-0-0, while Toronto suffers its first defeat after an unbeaten start. The match saw Toronto dominate possession, but lacking the finishing touch.
Photo: AFC Toronto
TORONTO – For most of Sunday afternoon at BMO Field, AFC Toronto looked closer to finding the breakthrough. Instead, it was Montréal Roses FC who left with all three points.
A tightly contested Northern Super League matchup remained scoreless deep into the second half before Elyse Bennett once again proved decisive for Montréal, scoring in the 88th minute to secure a 1-0 victory and maintain the club’s perfect start to the season.
The result pushes the Roses to 3-0-0 through the opening weeks of the inaugural NSL campaign, while AFC Toronto suffered its first defeat of the year after opening the season unbeaten.
Toronto controlled large stretches of the first half and generated the clearer attacking opportunities, particularly through Kaylee Hunter, who consistently tested Montréal’s defensive shape with her movement and delivery in the final third.
The hosts nearly found the opener moments before halftime after earning a free kick just outside the penalty area. Hunter stepped up and struck the attempt cleanly toward goal, but Montréal goalkeeper Anna Karpenko reacted quickly to push the effort away and preserve the deadlock heading into the break.
That sequence reflected much of the opening 45 minutes, where Toronto managed to dictate possession and territory without finding the final finish needed to capitalize.
Montréal gradually settled into the match after halftime and began creating more dangerous moments in transition, forcing AFC Toronto to defend larger spaces as the game became increasingly stretched.
With Sierra Cota-Yarde unavailable, Danielle Krzyzaniak made her first start of the season in goal for Toronto and delivered several key interventions to keep the match level. The goalkeeper denied Bennett during a one-on-one opportunity shortly after the hour mark before later reacting quickly again to stop a dangerous Montréal sequence inside the box.
Bennett, who has quickly emerged as one of the league’s early standout attacking players, drove directly at Toronto’s back line before cutting inside and finishing low past Krzyzaniak for her fourth goal of the NSL season.
AFC Toronto attempted to push numbers forward during stoppage time, but Montréal remained organized defensively and closed out another clean sheet to continue its unbeaten run atop the league standings.
Toronto now heads into a short break before traveling west to face Vancouver Rise FC on May 23 at Swangard Stadium, while Montréal continues its road stretch next weekend against Calgary Wild FC.
