AFC Toronto settles for a point at BMO Field

• AFC Toronto 0, Calgary Wild FC 0 
• Toronto squander chance to overtake Ottawa for 2nd place    
• Sabrina D’Angelo made 4 saves to record the clean sheet      
• Zoe Hasenauer came off bench to make her NSL debut 

TORONTO – Is this the start of a new curse for AFC Toronto?

Toronto won for the first time at BMO Field last week at the seventh time of asking since the Northern Super League’s inaugural 2025 season. But the maroon and vermillion returned to their underachieving ways at the home of Toronto FC in a 0-0 draw vs. last place Calgary Wild FC on Sunday.

Toronto, who normally plays its home games at York Lions Stadium, has now collected just five points out of a possible 24 in eight games played at BMO Field. This disappointing draw also means Toronto (9-5-5, 32 points) squandered a chance to leapfrog Ottawa Rapids FC into second place in the NSL table.  

"When we beat them at 1-0 [in July], it was it was a very difficult game; very similar game to this one where we found a way to score. Today we didn't, and that was the difference. So, I think it's more on us not being able to find a way today, and we had more than enough chances to do it," Toronto coach Marko Milanović told reporters after the game.

Veteran defender Shelina Zadorsky concurred: "I think I can just echo: very frustrating and disappointing, but it's not just on people who need to score goals. That's all of us."

Amazingly, this was only the second 0-0 draw of the entire 2026 NSL campaign. Toronto and Halifax Tides FC played to a 0-0 result on May 3 in Toronto’s home opener at BMO Field.

Milanović’s starting 11 included Canadian internationals Zadorsky, Sabrina D’Angelo, Victoria Pickett and Sarah Stratahakis. Midfielder Cloey Uddenberg was back in as a starter after serving a three-game suspension. Canadian international Zoe Burns came off the bench in the second half, as did midfielder Zoe Hasenauer who made her NSL debut after signing with Toronto earlier this week.   

Unavailable were midfielders Samantha Chang (season-ending injury), Olivia Chisholm (international duty) and Linda Owusu Ansah (season-ending injury), and forwards Esther Okoronkwo (injury), Kaylee Hunter (international duty) and Kaila Novak (injury).       

Toronto dominated a lacklustre Calgary side in a nondescript first half that saw the hosts do everything but score and the visitors offer next to nothing in attack. Toronto enjoyed an 11-1 edge in total shots but only one of them was on target, a tame attempt from forward Lena Salino that was aimed right at Calgary goalkeeper Sarah Keilty-Dilling.     

Toronto applied plenty of pressure down the wings via Colby Barnett and Nyota Katembo and through the middle from Lauren Rowe, but it didn’t amount to anything tangible. Lowe flashed an early curling shot wide of the post while Salino went on a probing run down the middle before unleashing a shot from distance that went over the crossbar    

Toronto picked up where it left off at the start of the second half with Katembo forcing Keilty-Dilling to make a save on her angled shot from inside the box off a feed from captain Nikayla Small. 

Calgary grew into the contest and started asking questions of Toronto. Its best spell came just after the hour mark when Kahli Johnson was thwarted inside the box by a kick save from D’Angelo and Serita Thurton’s two rebound attempts were blocked. Toronto immediately marched up the field with Rowe breaking in on goal only to see Keilty-Dilling rush off her line and smother the ball.  

Small appeared to have a clear case for a penalty when she was brought down by Calgary defender Frédérique St-Jean inside the box. Almost immediately, Calgary forward Jorian Baucom got in behind by outmuscling Toronto defender Sarah Rollins, but she was bailed out by D’Angelo who came up with another super save.   

Rowe’s header off a lovely ball into the box from defender Croix Soto just whispered past the post as the Toronto forward dropped to the ground after being bumped into by Keilty-Dilling.  

Small did well to win possession back and then sprung Rowe with a perfectly weighted pass. But the Toronto forward was pushed out wide by Keilty-Dilling and drilled her shot into the side netting.   

NOTES: Toronto leads the all-time regular season series vs. Calgary with a perfect 8-0-1 record…. Toronto holds a 3-0-1 record against Calgary this year, most recently earning a 6-0 win at McMahon Stadium on Aug. 1... The two clubs will meet for a final team of the 2026 regular season on Oct. 18 at BMO Field… Two of Toronto's last four home games of the campaign – including the final two – will be at BMO Field... AFC Toronto's next match is away to Montreal Roses FC on Sept. 10