ANALYSIS – What a game for AFC Toronto’s Silano and Zadorsky! Lena Silano scored her first two goals for AFC and her first two in the Northern Super League (NSL). In addition, Shelina Zadorsky played on both ends of the ball and was a threat defensively, even though she is a defender.
Zadorsky and Silano Help AFC Toronto Get Second Place in the NSL Standings
Lena Silano Was Exceptional in Saturday’s Game
Lena Silano was the story of the game. The American forward scored her first two goals in the Northern Super League (NSL) in a game she will remember for a long time.
- Lena Silano made a heads-up play. She saw Mollie Erickson a bit out of position, and she took the ball from her. She then scored the easy goal. What made that goal so important was her ability to read the play and steal the ball.
- Nikayla Small won the ball for AFC Toronto; she then passed the ball to Silano, who put the ball high and into the back of the net.
Silano’s positioning in the first goal and her shot for the second goal were both excellent goals for different reasons.
That said, Nikayla Small, AFC Toronto’s captain, also played well, as she won turnovers deep in Ottawa’s zone and created scoring opportunities for her teammates.
This is what AFC Toronto head coach Marko Milanović said about the two goals scored by Silano:
“I think Lena has done enough since she’s come to the club to earn that spot and to earn the starting 11. I, I don’t think, you know, she doesn’t necessarily have to score to, to be productive and to have impact,” Milanović said. “That’s, that’s one of her biggest strengths. You saw how well she defends and, and how well she can play back from goal and help us, help us on set pieces both ways defensively and offensively.”
This shows how much the head coach trusts Silano. Her ability to play on both sides of the pitch highlights how important she has been to the club since signing with the team back in July.
“So, I’m really happy that we were able to create a goal off of that and just give us some good momentum going into the second half, and then also going off that momentum into the second half and getting another goal.”
Nikayla Small and Shelina Zadorsky Had Excellent Games
Both Nikayla Small and Shelina Zadorsky performed quite well in Saturday’s game. Small made some good turnovers late in the game and created scoring chances for her teammates. This is while Zadorsky, even though she is a defender, got into positions where she could potentially score.
AFC Toronto head coach Marko Milanović said this about Zadorsky after being asked about her performance:
“Shelina was incredible. She played in a new position for her, and at least on this team. In previous games, she played centrally on the left. I thought she had a massive impact on the game both ways, offensively, defensively.”
- Zadorsky was remarkably potent offensively. She put herself in good positions to score from set pieces and created plays for teammates.
- Small was really all over the place in a positive way for AFC Toronto. In particular, she created two turnovers deep in Ottawa’s half. The first time, Erickson and the Ottawa defence dealt with it, but the second time it happened, it led to a second goal by Silano.
There were also other examples, including Small delivering a great pass to Lauren Rowe, whose shot was off target.
Sabrina D’Angelo and AFC Toronto’s Defence were Excellent
Sabrina D’Angelo made two big saves for the club. These two were:
- At the start of the game, she made a key save on a Delaney Baie Pridham shot to deny them an early lead in the fourth minute.
- D’Angelo spectacularly stopped Florence Belzile’s shot. Immediately after, Sarah Stratigakis scored a highlight-reel goal to extend AFC’s lead to three.
D’Angelo should be given the AFC Toronto Player of the Month for September. Her play was spectacular, especially in the two home games she played in.
The defence of AFC Toronto was also solid. For example, there were shots blocked by Sarah Rollins, and Zadorsky also made some great defensive plays. It was all-around a spectacular performance.
AFC Toronto is tied with the Halifax Tides FC for the fewest goals allowed this year. That is a big reason why AFC is second in the table right now.
READ MORE: Lauren Rowe: AFC Toronto’s 2026 Leading Goalscorer
Other Factors: Delaney Baie (DB) Pridham Returned from Injury
Delaney Baie (DB) Pridham played for close to 60 minutes in Saturday’s game against AFC Toronto. This is what Ottawa Rapid FC head coach Katrine Pedersen said about it:
“Well, it was good to have Delaney back. Delaney is a huge leader and a big threat on the last line. We saw that today as well. She came with chances, and she put them under pressure. So, we’re very happy to have Delaney back.”
Pridham had a chance early in the game that almost led to Ottawa scoring first. She will be needed when playoffs come. The question, though, is whether she will be playing at least close to 100% before the playoffs start. There is one more month in the NSL season happening, before playoffs start in early November.
In addition, AFC Toronto moves one point ahead of the Ottawa Rapid FC and is now second in the NSL standings. In addition, AFC have now won three home games, with two of those wins coming against the Ottawa Rapid FC.
READ MORE: Zoe Burns: The AFC Toronto Defender with Canadian Heritage
Games Coming Up For Both Teams
READ MORE: W Canadian Championship: Significance for Canadian Soccer
AFC Toronto hosts the Vancouver Rise FC at York Lions Stadium. This is not just an NSL regular-season match, but also a W Canadian Championship quarterfinal. The game will air in the U.S. on ESPN+ and be televised nationally on TSN.
This will be the last regular-season game at the venue, as their last two home games will be at BMO Field. The first of two at BMO Field will be against the Calgary Wild FC at 1:00 pm ET. That game will take place on October 18, and it will be televised nationally in Canada live on TSN. Fans in the U.S. can watch the game live on ESPN+.
Their last home game will be against the Halifax Tides FC at 7:00 pm ET. The game will be shown on TSN Premium, YouTube, and ESPN+.
The Ottawa Rapid FC has a harder schedule. Two of their last three games will be on the road against the team at the top of the NSL table, the Montreal Roses FC. They play at the Stade Boréale on YouTube, TSN Premium, ESPN+, and RDS on October 2 at 7:00 pm ET. They play at the same time and venue on October 23 against the Roses. Ottawa’s only home game left is against the Vancouver Rise FC at 4:00 pm ET.
The game will be televised nationally on TSN in Canada and shown in the U.S. on ESPN+.
READ MORE: The CANWNT October Roster: Six NSL Players Made the Roster
Photo Credit: Sean Pollock for AFC Toronto on September 26, 2026.