ANALYSIS – The first game at York Lions Stadium ended in a 1-1 draw between AFC Toronto and the Montreal Roses FC. AFC dominated most of the possessions in the game, while the Roses came strong after AFC scored the initial goal.
A Competitive 1-1 Draw at York Lions Stadium
April Lantaigne Made a Great Impression
April Lantaigne played very well for AFC Toronto. She made the right plays and was there for the full 90 minutes against the Montreal Roses FC:
- Lantaigne delivered a good defensive header.
- She made a good defensive play in the 28th minute to prevent the Montreal Roses FC from having a great scoring chance.
When Marko Milanović was asked about Lantaigne, this is what he said:
“She’s put in a lot of work for the last year, and she looks like a very different player, and we really hope that she’s going to be involved in Canada because she’s someone who can play a number of different positions and a deal, and it’s really effective.”
Lantaigne looked good in Sunday’s game, and it is a name more people from the AFC Toronto will hear as time goes by.
AFC Toronto Had the Majority of the Scoring Chances
AFC Toronto had most of the scoring opportunities. As a result, they had some fantastic chances to score, including:
- Kaylee Hunter’s shot narrowly missed the target.
- Nikayla Small’s shot was stopped
- Kaylee Hunter’s penalty was off target.
- Montreal Roses FC goalkeeper Anna Karpenko was aware of the danger and stopped Lauren Rowe’s shot because of her positioning early in the game.
READ MORE: Kaylee Hunter: Promising Canadian Teenager for AFC Toronto
There was one play where Rowe had a breakaway but had a heavy touch towards the goalkeeper, Anna Karpenko. Karpenko cleared the ball, but it landed on Hunter’s feet. Hunter’s shot went past the goalkeeper, but Stéphanie Hill was there to head the ball away and prevent a goal from being scored.
This is what Montreal Roses FC goalkeeper Karpenko said about the missed penalty from Kaylee Hunter:
“It’s exciting because, you know, the pressure’s on the shooter, the pressure’s not on me, so I’m just trying my best to distract her as much as possible, but in that, you know, exterior, you know, force, so, um, a miss is the same in my books. So, I’ll take it, yeah.”
Hunter’s shot was off-target and would have made the game 1-0. Now, Rowe scored a fantastic goal a few minutes later. Still, one could see that if the AFC had been more clinical with their scoring chances, they might have come away with all three points instead of just one.
Lisa Pechersky Scored the Game-Tying Goal
After the Roses conceded the goal scored by Rowe, that is where most of the scoring chances came from. Some examples include:
- The Roses’ Chloe Minas free-kick following a corner went past Evelyn Badu. If Badu connected, she could have scored.
- Lucy Cappadona’s header was spectacularly stopped by AFC Toronto goalkeeper Sofia Manner.
The Montreal Roses FC would get their goal, though, thanks to a fantastic run by Pechersky, who made a wonderful individual play before putting the ball into the back of the net.
The Roses, in fact, had a chance to win the game late when Manner made a mistake and gave the ball to Badu, but she was unable to capitalize.
Other Factors: Anna Karpenko Had A Great Game
Karpenko made some heads-up plays throughout the game. She had to be sharp early and often. Also, Stéphanie Hill made a good play at the beginning of the second half. She headed away Kaylee Hunter’s shot, which beat Karpenko, and was heading for the back of the net.
READ MORE: Nikayla Small: A Standout AFC Toronto Midfielder
Nikayla Small also had another positive performance on Sunday. She created shots on goal and linked up with Hunter.
Elyse Bennett also had a great chance, as her header was stopped by Sofia Manner, as seen in the AFC Toronto X clip. This is what the Roses FC head coach said about her as Bennett won the NSL May Player of the Month:
“She’s one of those additions that makes a difference, and we’re happy to have her. She’s making a difference not only because of the goals she scored, but because of the way she defends it.”
It is still quite early in the year, but the Roses are sitting second in the league because of Bennett’s contributions throughout the year. They have 14 points with seven games played.
AFC Toronto currently has eight points after six games. However, they are only one point behind the Vancouver Rise FC and two points behind the Halifax Tides FC. Both teams have played one more game than AFC Toronto.
In addition, the other storyline is the debut of American defender Jordan Brewster, who has played in the past in the NWSL and the Liga MX Femenil.
Games Coming Up For Both Teams
The Montreal Roses FC have two home games to close out the month, as mentioned on the Montreal Roses FC website. Their first of two games in July will be on July 21 at the Stade Boréale against the Calgary Wild FC at 2:00 pm ET (12:00 pm MT). They will then also host the Ottawa Rapid FC at 7:00 pm ET.
Both games will be shown live on YouTube and RDS Info. The game against Calgary will be shown live on CBC Gem, while the game against Ottawa will be shown on TSN+, and in the U.S., on ESPN+.
READ MORE: Four AFC Toronto Goal Scorers in Road Win At McMahon Stadium
As for AFC Toronto, their next two games are on the road, according to the AFC Toronto website. They will be part of the Battle of Ontario matchup on June 21 against the current NSL leaders, the Ottawa Rapid FC, at TD Place Stadium. That game will be shown at 12:00 pm ET. They will then travel to Swangard Stadium once again to face the Vancouver Rise FC at 5:00 pm ET (8:00 pm PT).
Both the AFC games will be shown live on YouTube and CBC Gem.
Note #1: The game was about Pride Night, which was about recognizing, celebrating, and supporting the LGBTQ+ community. A preview YouTube video provided by the Northern Super League YouTube Account on Pride Night can be seen here with defender Zoe Burns and goalkeeper Danielle Krzyzaniak.
Note #2: The quotes above came from a post-game press conference to which the writer of this game had the privilege to be a part of.
Photo Credit: Lucas Kschischang (LBK) for AFC Toronto on June 13, 2026.
