The Vancouver Rise made it two wins in a row for the first time this season after taking down the top team in the NSL, AFC Toronto, 2-1 at Swangard Stadium.
Samantha Chang bagged a first-half brace, her first goals for the Rise as the club moved up to third in the league table.
Rise head coach Anja Heiner-Møller called it an “up-and-down” match.
“We fought our way back with focus and hard work,” she said. “And defending a result for many minutes, that was just the whole team working really hard.”
Despite early dominant possession from the Rise, it was Toronto who scored first. Morgan McAslan’s complacency on the ball was punished as Victoria Pickett rushed into the 18-yard box and dispossessed the goalkeeper.
As McAslan was down, Kaylee Hunter jumped on the loose ball, slotting it past the Rise keeper for the first goal of the match, coming in the 11th minute.
But not to be outdone, Chang levelled the match in the 20th minute with a 20-yard blast, beating Toronto’s goalkeeper, Sofia Manner, low and near the post.
Chang doubled her tally in the 35th minute. Josie Longhurst found the streaking midfielder with a pinpoint pass, unlocking Chang as she cut inside, and blasted a log shot beyond Manner at the far post.
The second was tilted in Toronto’s favour as they pushed for the equalizing goal. Nikki Stanton was subbed off in the 64th minute, and losing that presence in the midfield seemed only to hinder the Rise’s attempt to bolster their defensive play.
Toronto had several opportunities to find that lacking goal, including a well-placed shot that rang off the post, but they were unable to get anything past McAslan in the second half.
With the win, the Rise jumped over Ottawa Rapid in the NSL standings to sit in third place, seven points behind Toronto.
Rise find the resilience to fight back
Early goals against have been a difficult theme in the Rise’s season. However, unlike other matches, the team did not let it affect them.
“The team always gathers after a goal scored against, and they have good talks,” Heiner-Møller said. “It’s just making sure that we know, every time there’s a goal scored, the next five minutes are really important to get back into the game.”
Stanton said it was also important to support McAslan and not let the goal affect her.
“I think when [Toronto’s] goal happened, we kind of all knew. I even said to [McAslan], ‘We got you.’ We all know we had [her], and when a teammate feels like they let us down, we want them to know, we have your back,” Stanton said.
Up next
The Rise will stay at home for their next match against the Ottawa Rapid. That match takes place on Saturday, August 2.
Kickoff is at 4 p.m.
