Latest news with #AFCtoronto
CTV News
30-06-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
AFC Toronto adds to roster with defender Zoe Burns and forward Lauren Rowe
Defender Zoe Burns is shown making her debut for the Canada senior team in a 2-2 draw with Nigeria on Monday, April 11, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — AFC Toronto (Mandatory Credit) TORONTO — AFC Toronto has signed Canadian international defender Zoe Burns and Canadian youth international forward Lauren Rowe. Burns, 23, arrives from France's FC Fleury 91 while Rowe joins from North Toronto Women after a stellar career at Cape Breton University. A native of Issaquah, Wash., Burns is a dual citizen and represented the U.S. at the under-16 and under-17 levels before joining the Canadian under-20 program in 2022. She went on that year to play for Canada at the CONCACAF Women's Under-20 Championship in the Dominican Republic, where she was named to the tournament's Best XI, and at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica. In 2022, she earned her first senior call-up and went on to win caps against Nigeria and Morocco. 'Adding a right-sided wingback was always going to be a priority for us this summer, so we are delighted to welcome a multi-faceted talent like Zoe to Toronto,' AFC sporting director Billy Wilson said in a statement. 'Zoe is another player with senior national team appearances, and she is eager to play her way back into national team contention,' he added. Burns played collegiate soccer at USC where she was named to the All-Pac-12 second team and All-Pacific Region first-team recognition. Selected by the Utah Royals in the second round (29th overall) of the 2024 NWSL draft, she went on to make 21 appearances before being released at the end of the 2023 season. 'I've played in the NWSL, I've played in Europe, and joining a new league like this is definitely a different kind of risk. But for me, it was important to be somewhere that's truly investing in women's sports, and in doing things the right way,' Burns said in a statement. 'What stood out about Canada is that the support has always been there. I've seen it firsthand with the national team. Canadians care, they show up, and they want to see us succeed. That kind of energy matters. The NSL might be a new league, but it's not a new fan base. The foundation is strong, the investment is real, and the level of professionalism being built around it made this a risk worth taking.' Burns officially joins the team Tuesday and will be available for selection when the NSL transfer window opens July 20. Her first eligible match will be July 24 in Vancouver. Rowe, 20, arrives from North Toronto Soccer where she scored seven goals and added 12 assists in 10 games. A native of Conception Bay South, N.L., Rowe scored the winning goal in both the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) semifinal and final, earning MVP honours in the championship match. Rowe was also named AUS Player of the Year. 'Lauren came to our attention through her performances in League1 Ontario with North Toronto,' said Wilson. 'She's been training with us for the past month and has been great in our environment. She is a very direct player who possesses electric pace and enjoys taking on players head-to-head. 'As a player from Newfoundland, her journey to this point has been a lot more challenging than others. She's forged a unique path for herself by fighting for every opportunity that's come her way. We believe we are signing a very exciting and talented player who will thrive in a professional environment.' Rowe was part of the Canadian U-20 program from 2022 to 2024. AFC Toronto plays Ottawa Rapid FC next on July 10 --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2025 The Canadian Press
Globe and Mail
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Sarah Stratigakis signs with NSL's AFC Toronto in homecoming
Canadian midfielder Sarah Stratigakis tells a familiar story in signing with AFC Toronto. 'I'm very excited. Finally, to have a chance to play professionally in Canada,' said the 26-year-old from Woodbridge, Ont. 'Playing in front of my family, my friends, my hometown, it means the world to me.' Stratigakis was also sold by the pitch from Toronto sporting director Billy Wilson and coach Marko Milanović. 'I really align with their values and their vision for the team,' she said in an interview. 'I just see it as a place where I can get better as well. I really want to (put) my stamp on that team.' Stratigakis can start training with Toronto in July, but can't play until after July 20 when the transfer window opens. Her last game was in May. After a stellar collegiate career at Michigan, Stratigakis played overseas in Sweden (Vittsjö GIK), England (Bristol City) and France (Saint-Etienne). 'Playing abroad was probably one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my career,' she said. 'I've been all over. Each country offered new challenges, new expectations and style of play. I've definitely learned a lot from my time there.' The league in Sweden was 'incredibly challenging,' and her teammates were 'high quality,' she said. 'I was improving all the time,' she added. 'It was just an environment I enjoyed.' She counted Canadians Sabrina D'Angelo and Sura Yekka, a childhood friend and fellow former Wolverine, among her teammates in Sweden. Stratigakis signed with Bristol City in January 2024, arriving midway through a difficult campaign that saw the club relegated after a 1-18-3 debut season in the English top tier. 'I'd always wanted to play in the Women's Super League,' she said. 'Being a new promoted team is obviously a hard situation, but it was really cool playing against the Man Cities, the Arsenals of the world,' she added. 'That was really cool to grow my game.' She joined Saint-Étienne in August 2024. The club went on to finish 10th in the 12-team French league at 5-15-2. 'It seemed like a good fit for me,' she said. 'I played loads of minutes. And it was cool that we made the Coupe de France semifinals. It was the first time, I think, in a decade that the team had accomplished that. So we had some highs, but of course in a football career, there's some lows as well. And it's how you overcome those moments.' At Michigan, she was named Big Ten Midfielder of the Year in 2019 and won the Big Ten tournament in 2021. She started 92 of 95 games for the Wolverines from 2017 to 2021, scoring 20 goals and adding 28 assists. An attacking midfielder, Stratigakis likes to be in the centre of the action. 'I like to be on the ball. I can make things happen,' she said when asked about her style of play. Stratigakis has won five caps for Canada, including two starts, with one goal. At the youth level, she represented Canada at three FIFA tournaments — the U-17 World Cup in 2014 in Costa Rica and 2016 in Jordan and the U-20 World Cup in 2016 in Papua New Guinea. She was 17 when she made her senior debut for Canada in February 2017 in a 3-2 win over Mexico in Vancouver. Stratigakis came off the bench to score in stoppage time to give Canada a 1-0 win over Argentina at the SheBelieves Cup in Orlando in February 2021. Her last senior appearance was against Wales in April 2021. Stratigakis knows Toronto teammates include Victoria Pickett, Emma Regan, Kaela Hansen and Ashley Cathro from her time with the national team. At Michigan, she graduated from the school of kinesiology with a major in sport management. Stratigakis has also started her coaching badges, having already obtained her UEFA 'C' license. Returning to Canada opens the door for her to continue those passions. 'Being in Europe, it's really hard to do anything but play for your team, because of language barriers and certain rules,' she said. 'The fact that I can come home and maybe start other parts of my life is another reason why it's great to have a Canadian league, so I can start thinking of things after football as well. AFC Toronto currently tops the six-team Northern Super League at 6-3-1 and, with 15 goals is second only to Ottawa Rapid FC (with 16) in scoring. Shaina Ashouri left Toronto last week by mutual consent. The club said the 28-year-old forward, who made nine appearances for Toronto, left 'to pursue new opportunities abroad.'
CBC
25-06-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Canadian international Sarah Stratigakis signs with NSL's AFC Toronto
Social Sharing Canadian midfielder Sarah Stratigakis tells a familiar story in signing with AFC Toronto. "I'm very excited. Finally, to have a chance to play professionally in Canada," said the 26-year-old from Woodbridge, Ont. "Playing in front of my family, my friends, my hometown, it means the world to me." Stratigakis was also sold by the pitch from Toronto sporting director Billy Wilson and head coach Marko Milanovic. "I really align with their values and their vision for the team," she said in an interview. "I just see it as a place where I can get better as well. I really want to [put] my stamp on that team." Stratigakis can start training with Toronto in July, but can't play until after July 20 when the transfer window opens. Her last game was in May. After a stellar collegiate career at Michigan, Stratigakis played overseas in Sweden (Vittsjö GIK), England (Bristol City) and France (Saint-Etienne). "Playing abroad was probably one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my career," she said. "I've been all over. Each country offered new challenges, new expectations and style of play. I've definitely learned a lot from my time there." The league in Sweden was "incredibly challenging," and her teammates were "high quality," she said. "I was improving all the time," she added. "It was just an environment I enjoyed." Delaney Baie Pridham's hat trick powers Ottawa Rapid FC past AFC Toronto 18 days ago Duration 3:40 Tough 2024 season with Bristol City She counted Canadians Sabrina D'Angelo and Sura Yekka, a childhood friend and fellow former Wolverine, among her teammates in Sweden. Stratigakis signed with Bristol City in January 2024, arriving midway through a difficult campaign that saw the club relegated after a 1-18-3 debut season in the English top tier. "I'd always wanted to play in the Women's Super League," she said. "Being a new promoted team is obviously a hard situation, but it was really cool playing against the Man Cities, the Arsenals of the world," she added. "That was really cool to grow my game." She joined Saint-Etienne in August 2024. The club went on to finish 10th in the 12-team French league at 5-15-2. "It seemed like a good fit for me," she said. "I played loads of minutes. And it was cool that we made the Coupe de France semifinals. It was the first time, I think, in a decade that the team had accomplished that. So we had some highs, but of course in a football career, there's some lows as well. And it's how you overcome those moments." At Michigan, she was named Big Ten Midfielder of the Year in 2019 and won the Big Ten tournament in 2021. She started 92 of 95 games for the Wolverines from 2017 to 2021, scoring 20 goals and adding 28 assists. An attacking midfielder, Stratigakis likes to be in the centre of the action. "I like to be on the ball. I can make things happen," she said when asked about her style of play. Made senior debut for Canada at 17 Stratigakis has won five caps for Canada, including two starts, with one goal. At youth level, she represented Canada at three FIFA tournaments — U-17 World Cup in 2014 in Costa Rica and 2016 in Jordan and the U-20 World Cup in 2016 in Papua New Guinea. She was 17 when she made her senior debut for Canada in February 2017 in a 3-2 win over Mexico in Vancouver. Stratigakis came off the bench to score in stoppage time to give Canada a 1-0 win over Argentina at the SheBelieves Cup in Orlando in February 2021. Her last senior appearance was against Wales in April 2021. Stratigakis knows Toronto teammates include Victoria Pickett, Emma Regan, Kaela Hansen and Ashley Cathro from her time with the national team. At Michigan, she graduated from the school of kinesiology with a major in sport management. Stratigakis has also started her coaching badges, having already obtained her UEFA 'C' licence. Returning to Canada opens the door for her to continue those passions. "Being in Europe, it's really hard to do anything but play for your team, because of language barriers and certain rules," she said. "The fact that I can come home and maybe start other parts of my life is another reason why it's great to have a Canadian league, so I can start thinking of things after football as well.: AFC Toronto currently tops the six-team Northern Super League at 6-3-1 and, with 15 goals is second only to Ottawa Rapid FC (with 16) in scoring.
CTV News
15-06-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Montreal Roses FC tops Ottawa Rapid FC 2-1 in Northern Super League action
Montreal Roses FC forward Tanya Boychuk (12) celebrates scoring a goal against AFC Toronto during first half Northern Super League soccer action in Toronto on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (The Canadian Press/Arlyn McAdorey) Tanya Boychuk netted the game-winning goal in the 65th minute to lift Montreal Roses FC to a 2-1 victory over Ottawa Rapid FC on Saturday in Northern Super League action. Boychuk took a centring pass from Jodi Smith and tapped it past Ottawa goalkeeper Mollie Eriksson to restore Montreal's lead. Latifah Abdu opened the scoring in the 24th minute for the Roses (4-2-2). She took a pass just inside the box from Charlotte Bilbault, deked an approaching defender and fired it into the bottom left corner of the net. Delaney Baie Pridham scored the equalizer for the Rapid (3-2-2) in the 58th minute. Choo Hyo-joo sent in a pretty free kick toward the far post that found Pridham in stride for a header. Ottawa played much of the match short a player with Olivia Scott being shown a red card in the 27th minute. Montreal had 57 per cent possession and 14 total shots (two on target) to Ottawa's six (three on target). TORONTO 2 CALGARY 1 In Calgary, Nikayla Small scored two goals eight minutes apart in the first half and led the visiting AFC Toronto (5-3-1) to a 2-1 victory over the host Wild (3-3-2). Danielle Steer scored in the 53rd minute to get Calgary back in the match, but the hosts could not net the equalizer. Toronto outshot the hosts 17-7 (7-2 on-target) and took more corners (5-3). Calgary received two of the three yellow cards in the match. Calgary had 60 per cent possession. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 14, 2025.
CBC
12-06-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Nikayla Small scores in AFC Toronto win over Vancouver Rise
Nikayla Small scored the first goal of her Northern Super League career, helping AFC Toronto to a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Rise on Wednesaday in Burnaby, B.C. Emma Regan got Toronto (4-3-1) on the board just two minutes into the game, and Kaylee Hunter put the visitors ahead 2-0 in the 42nd minute. Mariah Lee cut Vancouver's deficit to 2-1 with a goal in the 68th minute before Small scored in the 73rd. Rise midfielder Quinn converted a penalty kick in the eighth minute of injury time to seal the score at 3-2. WATCH | AFC Toronto holds on for victory over Vancouver Rise: AFC Toronto holds on for victory over Vancouver Rise 2 hours ago Duration 1:07 Vancouver (3-4-2) controlled 54 per cent possession across the game and outshot Toronto 13-8. The hosts also held a 4-3 edge in on-target shots. Toronto will look to carry the momentum from the win into Calgary, where they'll face the Wild on Saturday. The Rise are off until June 22 when they host the league-leading Montreal Roses.
