Zoe Burns Scores Twice to Lift AFC Toronto, 2-0, Over Calgary Wild FC
Published on August 30, 2025 under Northern Super League (NSL)
AFC Toronto News Release
Toronto, ON - Zoe Burns scored twice as AFC Toronto earned a decisive result over Calgary Wild FC on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The victory marked Toronto's return to York Lions Stadium for the first time since July 18 and first win at home since July 10, a memorable return that pushed their tally to a league-leading 35 points.
After a tightly contested opening frame, the deadlock was finally broken in first-half stoppage time when Burns' effort, set up by Esther Okoronkwo, deflected off a Calgary defender and into the net for her first Northern Super League goal. Just minutes into the second half, Burns struck again, coolly finishing to record her first career brace and give AFC a commanding lead they would not relinquish.
Head coach Marko Milanovic: "I thought today was one of our most complete performances from beginning to end. We could have maybe created a bigger gap before halftime and scored some of those chances that we had. We defended quite well throughout the game and I don't really remember a clear cut scoring opportunity that the other team had."
Zoe Burns on her performance: "It's always good to be able to convert when asked - we all knew that we would have to step up, so that's always a good feeling to be able to deliver."
Next, AFC Toronto heads to the East Coast to face Halifax Tides FC at Wanderers Grounds on Saturday, September 6 at 2 p.m. ET.
ZOE BURNS: AFC defender scored her first career NSL goal and first brace in the same match.
OLIVIA CHISHOLM: Signed on a youth development contract, the 16-year-old became the youngest player to take the pitch in the NSL when substituted on in stoppage time.
WILDLY UNDEFEATED: In the fourth match of their five-game season series against Calgary, Toronto remains unbeaten with a 4-0-0 record.
UP NEXT: AFC Toronto take on Halifax Tides FC at Wanderers Grounds on Saturday, September 6 at 2 p.m. ET (Watch on CBC and NSL.ca).
MATCH SUMMARY
AFC Toronto - 2 | Calgary Wild FC - 0
Venue: York Lions Stadium
Referee: Sheila Couture
Assistants: Gabrielle Lemieux, Amanda Kwan
Fourth Official: Allie Martin
Referee Observer: John Oliva
Attendance: 2,589
SCORING SUMMARY
AFC Toronto: Zoe Burns (45'+1'), Zoe Burns (47')
Calgary Wild FC: 0
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
45' - Yellow: Emma Regan (AFC Toronto)
STARTING LINEUP & STATS
AFC Toronto Starting Lineup:
GK Sierra Cota-Yarde (Toronto, ON)
DF Ashley Cathro (Victoria, BC), DF Croix Soto (USA), DF Sarah Rollins (Toronto, ON), DF Zoe Burns (CAN)
MF Sarah Stratigakis (Toronto, ON), MF Nikayla Small (Pickering, ON), MF Emma Regan (Burnaby, BC), MF Colby Barnett (USA)
FW Lauren Rowe (Conception Bay South, NL), FW Esther Okoronkwo (Nigeria)
Substitutes: Danielle Krzyzaniak (GK), Kaela Hansen (DF), Aoi Kizaki (MF), April Lantaigne (MF), Aoi Kizaki (MF), Nyota Katembo (MF), Cloey Uddenberg (MF), Olivia Chisholm (MF), Jade Kovacevic (FW)
Total Shots: 13
Shots on Goal: 4
Fouls: 15
Offsides: 7
Corner-Kicks: 4
Saves: 2
Video Highlights of Opening Game
Media can access video highlights from the opening match on the Northern Super League
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NorthernSuperLeague
Match Summary
A complete summary of the match facts and stats can be viewed at:
https://www.nsl.ca/games/toronto-calgary-2025-08-30
More from the locker room:
Defender Sarah Rollins: "We were really just on the same page, the whole game. I felt like we were communicating a lot. [Croix Soto] kept us really organized and we practiced a lot shifting over and shifting quickly and believing in that press... We just kind of locked it down."
Milanovic on Olivia Chisholm: "She's just a pleasure to be around her. Her personality is excellent. She works very hard, we feel like she has a lot of potential to become a top player."
Milanovic on the team's youth development program: "We want this to be a place where our best young talent from all over the country comes and develops. We want them to know that they will get an opportunity to play here. [Kaylee Hunter] is obviously an example, but it's not just her. We have a very young team - the youngest in the league. We're going to continue to give those players an opportunity. And it's not just that they're young, they're also good and they have a lot of potential."
Milanovic on league standings: "In this league, as soon as you're not at your best or you're not at one hundred percent, or as soon as you start looking too far ahead, you lose games andyou don't play well. We're in first place and we have six losses - that tells you a lot about how tight the league is and we really have to make sure that we're approaching one game at a time."
Northern Super League Stories from August 30, 2025
- Vancouver Rise FC Reach Seven Heaven with 2-1 Win Over Montreal Roses FC - Vancouver Rise FC
- A Narrow Setback In A Balanced Contest - Roses de Montreal FC
- Zoe Burns Scores Twice to Lift AFC Toronto, 2-0, Over Calgary Wild FC - AFC Toronto
- Vancouver Rise FC Sign Canadian International Latifah Abdu - Vancouver Rise FC
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