AFC Toronto picked up three hard-fought points on Saturday afternoon, defeating Calgary Wild FC 2-1 in front of a lively home crowd at McMahon Stadium. A first-half brace from Nikayla Small proved decisive, despite a spirited push from the hosts in the second half.

First-Half Firepower

Toronto wasted no time setting the tone. Nikayla Small opened the scoring in the 18th minute, burying a right-footed strike from the center of the box after a well-worked buildup. She doubled her tally just eight minutes later, this time finishing with her left foot in a near-identical position to give AFC a 2-0 lead.

The visitors controlled much of the early action with quick transitions and clinical movement in the final third. Calgary struggled to find rhythm in the opening half but showed signs of promise heading into the break.

Wild Fightback

Calgary came out of the locker room with renewed energy and purpose. Their breakthrough came in the 53rd minute, when Danielle Steer rose to meet a cross and headed home from the center of the box to cut the deficit in half. The goal marked Steer’s first of the season and brought the home crowd to life.

Buoyed by the momentum shift, Calgary continued to apply pressure, earning six corners and outshooting Toronto 14-8. Midfielders Taegan Stewart and Meggie Dougherty-Howard helped dictate the tempo late, but Toronto's backline held strong under pressure.

Match Stats

• Possession: Calgary controlled 60% of the ball, with Toronto holding 40%, especially in the second half as they chased the equalizer.
• Total Shots: Toronto led the shot count 17-7, creating more chances throughout the match.
• Shots on Target: Toronto held a 7-2 edge in shots on target, with both teams showing efficiency in front of goal.

Looking Ahead

With the result, AFC Toronto improves to 5-3-1, while Calgary drops to 3-3-2. Both sides remain chasing the top of the NSL standings as the league approaches its midway mark.

Next up, Calgary Wild FC head east to take on Ottawa Rapid FC on Saturday, June 21, while AFC Toronto return home for a marquee matchup against Halifax Tides FC also on Saturday.

For full match statistics, lineups, and a play-by-play feed, visit the official NSL game page.

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