Olivia Chisholm scores in 39th minute as AFC Toronto beats Montreal Roses for first NSL title

The Story

AFC Toronto won its first Diana B. Matheson Cup in Northern Super League action on Saturday after Olivia Chisholm scored the game’s only goal in the 39th minute.

Chisholm, who plays as a midfielder for AFC Toronto, netted the winner with a shot that beat Montreal Roses goalkeeper Gabrielle Lambert after a play involving Lauren Rowe set her up near the top of the box.

Chisholm said, “It feels really special to score my first goal in this final,” adding, “Pretty good time to score and to celebrate with all my teammates and coaching staff. Felt really good.”

Montreal came into the final on a 12-game unbeaten streak after Maryse Bard-Martel took over as interim head coach in August, and the Roses also finished first overall to win their first Supporters’ Shield.

Despite early pressure in the opening half, Montreal could not find an equalizer against Toronto keeper Sabrina D’Angelo, who remained in position through multiple Rose chances as the match progressed.

Bard-Martel said, “Maybe it took us a little longer than we’d hoped to get into the game, but what’s most important is we got into the game,” and added that after halftime her team “created enough chances to go and equalize that game.”

Toronto’s victory provided the club with redemption after losing to Vancouver in the final last season, when Toronto finished first overall.

Following the loss, Montreal midfielder Charlotte Bilbault said, “Things didn’t go the way we wanted today and it’s difficult,” while adding that the team can build on what it learned from the season and the final.

AFC Toronto head coach Marco Milanovic said the game was tightly contested, noting, “There wasn’t much in this game. You saw how tight it was. I think these are the two best teams in the league and you saw it today.”