On a cool afternoon in November, raindrops dripped off the Diana B. Matheson Cup once the Vancouver Rise players lifted it in celebration, as the inaugural champions of the Northern Super League (NSL) with AFC Toronto applauding in the distance.
Samantha Chang, Rise FC midfielder, said the result wouldn’t have ended in a win unless the girls worked together.
“We knew that that was what it was going to take to beat a really good team like Toronto,” Chang said. “It was going to take every single one of us stepping up in our moments, and that’s exactly what happened today.”
Vancouver Rise FC secured the inaugural Diana B. Matheson Cup at the Northern Super League Finals, overpowering AFC Toronto 2-1 on Nov. 15 at BMO Field in Toronto, Ont. The league, founded by Diana B. Matheson, features six clubs: AFC Toronto, Calgary Wild FC, Halifax Tides FC, Montreal Roses, Ottawa Rapid FC, and Vancouver Rise FC.
Chang said she gives all the credit to the league’s founder, Diana Matheson, for bringing in people who care about women’s sports, growing the league, and eventually setting it in motion.
AFC Toronto topped the standings with a 16-6-3 record in the regular season, with a total of 51 points, whereas their opponent, Vancouver Rise, ranked third with an 11-8-6 record and 39 points.
The home team controlled most of the first half, taking the advantage in the 19th minute with a goal by Kaylee Hunter, on an assist by teammate Sarah Stratigakis. Hunter punted the ball from inside the box on the right wing, angling it perfectly to deflect off the foot of the Rises’ keeper, Morgan McAslan.
The 17-year-old first signed with the club on Jan. 29 and has become one of the youngest players to sign a professional contract before the inaugural Northern Super League season.
Eventually, the match was stopped seven minutes before half-time due to a weather delay, resulting in a thirty-minute wait at the minimum. Once the game resumed, both sides created multiple chances for a shot on target but couldn’t create a clean finish.
After the break, Vancouver slowly built their momentum back up as the home team seemed to have lost it all as the half continued.
In the 54th minute, midfielder Nikki Stanton came through for Vancouver Rise with the equalizer, curling the ball in from a corner for it to redirect itself into the net.
Unfortunately for Toronto, it looked like luck wasn’t on their side, with the Rise teaming up to attack just fourteen minutes later. This time, it was Holly Ward who sprinted down the left sideline and punted the rock to the right goalpost, sending the crowd into complete silence. Ward finished fifth in the league in goals with eight, three behind Toronto’s Esther Okoronkwo with 11.
Toronto would create many more chances until the end of the game, but none resulted in goals.
Even with the loss, Emma Regan, captain of AFC Toronto, said she believes they will come back even stronger for next season.
Head coach Marko Milanovic also stressed the same idea when talking to reporters in a post-game press conference.
“I thought we played really well most of the game and created a number of opportunities that we just didn’t put away, and sometimes in football that’s what happens,” Milanovic said.
“I’m very proud of my group, very proud of my captain,” he said. They’ve done everything I’ve asked them to do all season. I couldn’t be prouder of them, and I think they know that.”
McAslan earned Player of the Match for contributing several key stops to give her squad the win. McAslan leads the league in saves with 83, eight more than Ottawa Rapid FC’s Melissa Dagenais with 75.
Growing the game
In addition to the milestone of the inaugural final, the federal government also announced its plan to provide up to $5.45 million toward growing the league before the match began.
Evan Solomon, the federal minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and the minister responsible for FedDev Ontario, said this money will give “transformative” upgrades to facilities from coast to coast.
Soloman said it will include investments in Southern Ontario to improve stadiums and training sites for teams like AFC Toronto, while also improving player and fan experience.
“When I heard about it, I knew that it was something I wanted to be a part of, and I’m so grateful that we got the opportunity to be a part of the first-ever league,” Chang said.
“We hit a lot of milestones this year, playing in the first-ever game, and now winning the first trophy, like it does feel so full circle for us,” she said.
