The BMO Field curse might just be real.
AFC Toronto succumbed to their first loss of the season against Highway 401 rivals Montréal Roses at BMO Field on Sunday, courtesy of a late second-half goal that left the Roses as the only invincible side remaining in the Northern Super League through Matchday 3.
Elyse Bennett drove deep into the Toronto third with 88 minutes showing on the newly-installed screens at BMO Field, before chopping the ball past Victoria Pickett and finishing low past stand-in goalkeeper Danielle Krzyzaniak.
The first 45 minutes on Princes’ Boulevard were AFC Toronto target practice, as the hosts outgunned visitors Montréal 7-0 on shots, with shots on target further reading 5-0 as referee Scott Bowman motioned for the interval.
Toronto’s biggest chance came just a brief moment before Bowman reached for his whistle, as Kaylee Hunter stepped up to a free-kick two yards outside the arc of the Roses penalty area at the start of first-half stoppage time.
The 18-year-old hit it cleanly, but couldn’t beat a strong forearm from Montréal goalkeeper Anna Karpenko, looking for her third-straight clean sheet to start the season after 2-0 and 4-0 wins over Calgary Wild and Vancouver Rise, respectively.
Hunter had two more shots turned away by Karpenko, high and low at the near-post in the 8th and 44th minutes, while Lauren Rowe, Sarah Stratigakis and Sarah Rollins all also found themselves lining up, only to stumble at the final hurdle.
Lisa Pechersky, fresh off a winter switch from Vancouver, had the best chance for the Roses in the 40th minute, being turned away by shotstopper Danielle Krzyzaniak before the shot could be released — leading to Stratigakis’ chance after Toronto launched in transition.
Tougher yet for AFC Toronto, their inability to score at BMO Field stayed a constant in the second half.
Again in increasingly odd fashion, this time, Toronto were held off the board despite French midfielder Charlotte Bilbault depositing the ball off the inside of the far post and into her own goal, as Lauren Rowe, who found herself between Bilbault and Karpenko on the play, was offside from Kaylee Hunter’s pass.
They were saved further disappointment on the hour mark as Krzyzaniak, making her first start of the season as regular netminder Sierra Cota-Yarde was unavailable due to injury, came up big to deny Elyse Bennett one-on-one.
The 26-year-old American has been red-hot in her inaugural NSL campaign, scoring three goals in her first two games.
Krzyzaniak came up again with a double-save in the 78th minute, stuffing Bennett on another breakaway before getting up to tip Evelyn Badu’s long-range attempt behind her goal.
Krzyzaniak and the rest of the Toronto back line, however, couldn’t hold off Montréal for the entire afternoon, as Bennett eventually struck gold for her fourth goal of the NSL season in the 88th minute.
Toronto rolled the dice late, but failed to find an equalizer, falling to a record of zero wins, one draw and four losses when playing at BMO Field.
AFC Toronto will look to get their season back on track in two weeks’ time against Vancouver Rise on Saturday, May 23, as they embark on a two-game road trip out west. Montréal will look to stay undefeated as their three-game away set continues against Calgary Wild on Saturday, May 16.