Esther Okoronkwo has successfully reached the Northern Super League inaugural championship game after an outstanding performance. The 28-year-old forward netted three goals within the first 26 minutes of the semifinal match held at York Lions Stadium on Monday. AFC Toronto, the regular-season champions, triumphed over Montreal Roses with a 4-1 victory, securing a 6-1 aggregate win over the two legs. Lauren Rowe scored the fourth goal for Toronto in the 83rd minute, while Tanya Boychuk found the net for the Roses in the 74th minute.
Toronto will now prepare to face Vancouver Rise in the NSL Final at BMO Field on Saturday. Vancouver advanced to the final by defeating Ottawa 5-4 in a penalty shootout after their semifinal series ended tied 3-3 on aggregate.
The rescheduled second leg of the Toronto-Montreal series took place on Monday due to inclement weather and heavy snowfall in the Toronto area. Okoronkwo, who had an impressive record of eight goals and eight assists during the regular season, scored in the seventh minute, followed by two more goals in quick succession. Her hat trick was completed in the 26th minute, securing Toronto’s dominance in the match.
Toronto coach Marko Milanović praised the team effort, highlighting the exceptional performance of Kaylee Hunter alongside Okoronkwo. He emphasized Okoronkwo’s ability to deliver in crucial moments, citing her past successes in the Africa Cup of Nations and the recent semifinal match. The team’s strategy in adapting to the challenging snowy conditions was to keep the gameplay simple and direct.
In the first leg of the semifinal, Toronto emerged victorious with a 2-0 win at Stade Boréale in Laval, Que., with goals from Small and Hunter.
