AFC Check-in: Injuries, training sessions and first away game

By Daniel Carrero

Photos by Daniel Carrero

After losing 1-0 to Montreal Roses FC in their inaugural match, AFC Toronto had a week to recoup and prepare for their second Northern Super League (NSL) matchup against Ottawa Rapid FC at TD Place on March 27.

Despite the result at BMO Field, the players had the opportunity to reflect on the bigger picture and the significance of the first professional women’s soccer game in Toronto.

“I think especially making history on that day, just being bigger than us, everyone’s going to have nerves. I think moving forward [that’s] obviously going to dwindle just a little bit,” Nikayla Small told Intermission Sports during a press conference on April 25. “The first 20 minutes, we were just a little nervous…But as we built into the game, we felt more like ourselves.”

Despite the high emotions from that first game, AFC quickly shifted their focus to an already emerging injury crisis—four of their seven attackers are currently injured.

Toronto announced on April 24 that forward Amanda West had sustained an ACL injury. West, who was loaned by the National Women's Soccer League’s Houston Dash, “will return to Houston to undergo surgery and begin her rehabilitation with the Dash’s medical team,” read the statement.

Milanovic said West was with the team for about a week before the injury occurred at a friendly game. He said It was a non-contact injury, as “she just stepped awkwardly.”

The other players dealing with injury are Toronto’s first two ever signings, Jade Kovacevic and Leah Pais, who, according to Milanovic, will be available in about four to six weeks.

Kovacevic and Pais were seen during Friday’s practice doing stretching exercises separately from the rest of the team.

Another attacker dealing with an injury is Mya Jones, whose return is, according to Milanovic, “still not clear, but probably at least that same time frame.”

“It’s a bit unfortunate that they’re all in the same position,” said Milanovic. “But we still feel with what we have, we have more than enough to score goals, to create, so we’ll be alright and we’re just hoping those girls will be back as soon as possible.”

With NSL’s inaugural season rules, each team in the league must have a roster of 20 to 25 players. After West’s departure, AFC has 23 players registered on their squad, opening the possibility to add a new recruit.

“We are always keeping our options open and we look at players here in League1, Ontario and domestically in Canada, but nothing yet,” said Milanovic.

During this week’s training sessions, Milanovic also had the opportunity to continue working on their 3-4-3 scheme and tactics for maintaining possession.

“The style that we play and how much we want to dominate the ball obviously leaves us a little exposed in transition sometimes,” said Milanovic. “But that’s how we want to play, that’s the risk we are willing to take because we want to have the ball…Something we work on daily.”

Now Toronto will travel to the nation's capital to face the Rapids, the last NSL team to make their debut—a similar situation with their first matchup against Montreal.

“Schedule-wise [Ottawa] do have an advantage because they’ve seen us play and we haven’t seen them play,” said Milanovic. “We obviously look at the individual players and we scouted that, a little bit of the coach as well and some of her previous work.”

This matchup will also bring familiar faces back together.

Victoria Pickett, who played with Ottawa Rapid’s star Desiree Scott during their time at Kansas City Current, will have the opportunity to reconnect with her teammate, this time as part of rival teams.

“I learned a lot from her. She’s a fantastic player, not only for what she’s done for the women’s game, but also just the sport in general,” said Victoria Pickett. “She’s a fantastic person, fantastic player, a really good captain and she’ll definitely be a challenge, but I think with what we are doing here, we’ll be able to get past her and the rest of Ottawa.”