Vancouver Rise FC will welcome AFC Toronto to Swangard Stadium later this week in a highly anticipated rematch of last year’s Northern Super League Final.
The last time these two sides met the score was deadlocked at one until Vancouver’s Holly Ward netted the game-winning goal in the 68th minute to win the inaugural championship.
Ashley Docking, a sports broadcaster for TSN, who spent a lot of time with AFC Toronto last season, said when she spoke with AFC Toronto’s Nikki Small and Colby Barnett on media day ahead of their second season that they said they are “out for revenge.”
“I would be prepared to see a determined Toronto side, who are going to need to find a way to re-establish their centre midfield as captain Emma Regan has been called up to the NWSL [earlier this year],” Docking said.
AFC Toronto officially announced Regan would be joining the National Women’s Soccer League on Jan. 14 when she moved to the Denver Summit. The Denver Summit, the 16th expansion team of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) joined the league in January 2025 and began its inaugural season in March 2026.
“She was integral to the success, composure and system that AFC ran last year and it’s a big gap to fill, but they have the talent and remaining core,” she said.
Docking, who studied at Seneca Polytechnic and played for its varsity basketball and soccer teams, said Vancouver is resilient, a quality that fans witnessed throughout all of last season but especially the second half of that match.
However, she said losing Holly Ward to the NWSL was their biggest loss on the entire pitch.
“She was such a huge impact player on their offence, scoring the game-winning goal in the NSL Final.”
During her time with Vancouver Ward received her first Senior National Team call up during the summer and became the first player in the league to score internationally. Rise FC officially announced she was transferred to Seattle Reign FC on March 13 for an undisclosed transfer fee.
Docking said to fix this big gap “their offence is going to need to find away to fill that speed, skill and impact.” She said one player in particular that will have to step up to fill those shoes is Latifah Abdu.
Abdu, 23, joined Rise FC as a forward from the Montreal Roses in August 2025 as a composed striker. Abdu also competed internationally for several first and second divisions in France, and most notably scored 12 goals in 18 matches for RC Strasbourg.
Meanwhile, AFC Toronto confirmed that one of their big off-season additions, midfielder Samantha Chang, sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
The team said in a statement that Chang is going to have surgery in Toronto and would be sidelined for the season.
Chang transferred from AFC Toronto to Vancouver Rise FC on Jan. 8, 2026 leaving the Rise in search of a captain. The Mississauga, Ont., native finished the 2025-26 season with four goals and four assists.
What could be each team's difference maker?
Docking said AFC Toronto's Esther Okoronkwo and Kaylee Hunter are “a really interesting and dynamic duo” that both have the speed and the “nose for goal.”
"Esther has been known to be a little disengaged during games, something her coach has worked on her with, but after her breakout with the Nigerian National Team at WAFCON," she said.
For Vancouver, Jessica Di Filippo is an impact player and often comes on as game breaker in the second half.
"Having someone who can impact the game and give your team boost in a 90 minute game is always going to be beneficial and she made a difference all year last year," Docking said.
AFC Toronto will go head-to-head in a matchup against Vancouver Rise FC on Friday April 24. Kick-off is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET at Swangard Stadium.
