AFC Toronto draws NSL home opener at BMO Field

• AFC Toronto 0, Halifax Tides FC 0 
• Toronto now winless in 4 games (3 losses) at Toronto FC’s home  
• NSL club draws 6,476 fans in 1st of 7 home games at BMO Field
• Esther Okoronkwo subbed off late in 1st half with an injury

TORONTO – Playing at BMO Field is proving to be not much of an advantage for AFC Toronto. 

Toronto battled Halifax Tides to a 0-0 draw in its Northern Super League home opener on a sunny Sunday afternoon before an announced crowd of 6,476 at the home of Toronto FC.   

The NSL club is still looking for its first win at BMO Field after suffering three losses at the stadium during the league’s inaugural 2025 season, including a defeat to Vancouver Rise in last November’s NSL Final. 

BMO Field will host seven of Toronto's 13 home games during the 2026 regular season. The other six matches will be held at York Lions Stadium on the campus of York University. 

"Obviously disappointed with the result, we expect to win every game that we play in… We’ll take the point, and obviously a shutout is nice," Toronto coach Marko Milanović said in the post-match press conference.

Toronto entered this match on the back of last week's 3-2 season-opening road win over Vancouver in a rematch of the 2025 NSL Final. Halifax beat Ottawa Rapid FC 3-1 at home in its first game of the campaign.  

Sunday’s contest didn’t produce any goals, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying from both clubs who attacked with plenty of purpose in a wildly entertaining match. 

Milanović fielded a starting 11 featuring Nigerian forward Esther Okoronkwo, and Canadian internationals Kaylee Hunter (last year’s NSL rookie of the year), Zoe Burns, Victoria Pickett and Sarah Stratigakis. Unavailable were midfielder Samantha Chang (out with a season-ending injury), and defenders Kaela Hansen and Jordan Brewster. 

A fairly open first half saw the front duo of Hunter and Okoronkwo put pressure on the visitors’ defence with their strength and touch on the ball, while Halifax looked its most dangerous in moments of transition.  

Okoronkwo had two chances to open the scoring. The first came when she latched onto a fabulous ball from the wing by Colby Barnett and tried to chip Halifax goalkeeper Rylee Foster at the top of the 18-yard penalty area. But Tides defender Sheyenne Allen made a great recovery run inside the box and swept the ball away before it crossed the goal-line.  

Okoronkwo took advantage of Halifax’s Julianne Kennedy misjudging a high ball played out from the back by Toronto captain Nikalya Small and broke in on goal alone, only to see Foster come up with a big save. Okoronkwo ballooned her rebound attempt over the crossbar. It was the Nigerian’s last major contribution as she was subbed off late in the half with a knee injury. She was replaced by Lauren Rowe. Milanović didn't have an update on Okoronkwo's condition when speaking to reporters after the game.

Halifax’s best scoring opportunity came when Karima Lemire’s free kick deep into the box found captain Saorla Miller whose header produced a punching save from Toronto goalkeeper Sierra Cota-Yarde. 

The second half picked up where the first half left off. Rowe made a probing run down the middle before playing the ball out wide to Barnett. The American midfielder cut in and unleashed a low shot from the top of the box that glanced the far post. Minutes later, Miller’s long-range effort was tipped over the crossbar by Cota-Yarde.  

Halifax poured on the pressure and forced Cota-Yarde to make some crucial stops off half chances from corner kicks and set pieces.  

Pickett nearly scored an audacious Olimpico off a corner kick that hit the far post after Foster flailed at it and Cloey Uddenberg’s rebound shot from inside the box was blocked by a Halifax defender. Julianne Vallerand’s header for Halifax off a high ball whipped into the box hit the post late in regulation time.  

Cota-Yarde earned her eighth NSL clean sheet with a career-high of six saves as Toronto.

“It’s always our standard to get a clean sheet,” defender Sarah Rollins said. “As our back line, our back five, every single game we talk about it. Our goal as defenders and goalies is a clean sheet every single game, especially at home. So yeah, that means a lot to us.” 

NOTES: AFC Toronto leads the all-time regular season series against Halifax with four wins and two draws in six games, outscoring them 7-2... Sunday was the first of five games of this season between Toronto and Halifax. The teams' next meeting is on July 5 in Halifax… Halifax is coached by former Canadian men’s team boss Stephen Hart… AFC Toronto's next match is at home vs. Montreal Roses FC on Sunday, May 10 (1:00 p.m./CBC & YouTube)...

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