AFC Toronto looks to turns nerves into excitement for opening NSL game at BMO Field

After ten weeks of intense training, AFC Toronto is gearing up for its opening game in the Northern Super League. Coach Marko Milanovic has been working hard to prepare his team, but he knows that there are some things that simply cannot be replicated in training – like playing in front of a crowd of over 14,500 at BMO Field.

“It’s impossible to prepare the players for the nerves that they’ll be feeling. It’s hard to replicate that in training,” Milanovic said before a rainy training session at the lakefront stadium. “You can only hope that they’ll use the crowd as a positive, turn those nerves into excitement, and show what they can do.”

The good news is that the crowd will be cheering for AFC Toronto, rather than the opposition, Montreal Roses FC. Toronto captain Emma Regan, a Canadian international, is looking forward to the energy of the home crowd.

“We’re less about the nerves, more about the excitement. It’s a home crowd. I think we’re going to feed off of the energy from that. So we’re really excited to start it off at home,” Regan said.

American forward Shaina Ashouri added, “I’ve learned to use those nerves and turn it into energy – controlling what we can control. I think the whole team’s behind that.”

The Northern Super League kicked off with Vancouver Rise FC’s 1-0 win over Calgary Wild at B.C. Place Stadium, with over 14,000 fans in attendance. Toronto and Vancouver will be playing future matches at smaller venues, but they are excited to continue building on the league’s success.

Preparing for an unknown opponent like Montreal Roses FC is a challenge for both teams. Milanovic joked, “It’s very hard. And if any of you have any information about Montreal, we’d love to know about it. Anyone from Quebec here?”

Toronto is dealing with some injuries, but Regan believes that the team’s chemistry and unity will help them succeed. The players have accepted the responsibility of helping build the league from the ground up.

Andre De Grasse, a star sprinter and part-owner of AFC Toronto, will be in attendance for the team’s first game. De Grasse, who played youth soccer with the Scarborough Azzurri-Blues, is excited to witness history in the making.

Montreal Roses FC, coached by Robert Rositoiu, has named Megane Sauve and Tanya Boychuk as co-captains. Rositoiu has an impressive coaching background and is looking forward to leading his team in the Northern Super League.

All six NSL teams will be in action next weekend, with exciting matchups to look forward to. The league is off to a strong start, and fans are eagerly anticipating the competition ahead.