AFC Toronto Claims First Place with 3-1 Victory Over Halifax
17-year-old forward Kaylee Hunter scores twice to lift AFC Toronto over Halifax Tides FC
Toronto, ON (June 21, 2025) – AFC Toronto climbed to first place in the Northern Super League with a commanding 3-1 victory over Halifax Tides FC on Saturday afternoon, powered by a brace and an assist from forward Kaylee Hunter. Toronto now has a three-game winning streak and sits two points ahead of Montreal Roses FC.
Halifax opened the scoring early when a cross from captain Sydney Kennedy deflected in off the foot of Toronto defender Sarah Rollins for the team’s first own goal of the season.
Hunter evened things up for Toronto midway through the first half, finding space at the top of the box to fire off a powerful strike. The 17-year-old then put Toronto ahead early in the second half with a burst of speed and another blast from the top of the box.
Minutes later, Hunter gifted Okoronkwo a breakaway with a clean through ball, as the Nigerian forward calmly walked in with crafty footwork to notch her fourth of the season. Okorowkwo’s fourth and Hunter’s first NSL brace put the duo in possession of second in league scoring.
Assistant coach Sylvia Forbes on the team’s resilience: “We remember how we feel in the tough moments and then, we remember how we feel in these good moments. We understand that the work hasn't stopped. We expect the players, we expect us as a staff to get better each and every week. And the goal remains the same – this is a long season with a lot of really good teams in the league and we enjoy these moments. Then we get back to work after.”
Kaylee Hunter on her performance: "I'm super happy about [the match], I try to come into every game and do the best I can to help the team. And scoring... that's just like a positive from it. Everyone loves hitting the back of the net.”
After the league’s international break, AFC Toronto hosts Ottawa Rapid FC from York Lions Stadium in Toronto on Thursday, July 10th at 7 pm ET.
FROM THE BACK: Their fifth win in the last six contests, the 3-1 result also marked Toronto’s first come-from-behind victory of the year.
GOLDEN GIRLS: With their respective goals today, Esther Okoronkwo and Kaylee Hunter launch into a tie for second place of the league’s Golden Boot race.
UP NEXT: AFC Toronto are at home to face Ottawa Rapid FC on Thursday, July 10 at 7 pm ET (Stream on TSN+ and NSL.ca; US Streaming on ESPN+).
MATCH SUMMARY
AFC Toronto - 3 Halifax Tides FC - 1
Venue: York Lions Stadium
Referee: Carly Shaw-Maclaren
Assistants: Marie-Han Gagnon Chretien, Shukwia Tajik Fourth Official: Angelina Baldino
Referee Observer: Amato De Luca
Attendance: 3,098
SCORING SUMMARY
AFC Toronto: Kaylee Hunter (21’), Kaylee Hunter (48’), Esther Okoronkwo (52’) Halifax Tides FC: Sarah Rollins [OG] (5’)
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
67’ - Yellow: Kiley Norkus (Halifax Tides FC) 90+4’ - Yellow: April Lantaigne (AFC Toronto)
STARTING LINEUP & STATS
AFC Toronto Starting Lineup:
GK Sofia Manner (Finland)
DF Croix Soto (USA)
DF Kaela Hansen (Burnaby, BC) DF Sarah Rollins (Toronto, ON) MF Nikayla Small (Pickering, ON) MF Emma Regan (Burnaby, BC)
MF Colby Barnett (USA)
MF Victoria Pickett (Barrie, ON) MF Aoi Kizaki (Japan)
FW Kaylee Hunter (Calgary, AB) FW Esther Okoronkwo (Nigeria)
Substitutes: Sierra Cota-Yarde (GK), Hong Hye-ji (DF), Ashley Cathro (DF), April Lantaigne (MF), Cloey Uddenberg (MF), Nyota Katembo (MF), Jade Kovacevic (FW)
Total Shots: 14 Shots on Goal: 7 Fouls: 8 Offsides: 2 Corner-Kicks: 7 Saves: 2
Video Highlights of Opening Game
Media can access video highlights from the opening match on the Northern Super League YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NorthernSuperLeague
Match Summary
A complete summary of the match facts and stats can be viewed at:
https://www.nsl.ca/games/toronto-halifax-2025-06-21
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Croix Soto on the club’s defensive efforts: “We knew that we had to have each other's backs from the beginning of the game. Sometimes stuff happens and we just have to stick together and keep chugging along. I think we showed that we responded super well after [the own goal] happened. We didn't let it get to us. We just shook it off and then we're able to continue to play.”
Coach Forbes on coming back from deficit: “We've had stressful times, we've had times where people are tense, we've had times where we might be on the back foot instead of being in control of the game. I thought today was one of the more complete times where we were in control of the possession of the ball. You could see that we were in control of the game regardless of the fact that we had been scored on. This was one of those times where the players owned that fact and they were confident that they had been playing well up to that point and they began to live in that moment.”
Soto on seeing young fans in the stands: “I feel like it's really important for us to remember where we came from and when we were in the stands, it’s the full circle of moment. I think it's really cool to see the next generation watching us.”