Vancouver Rise FC had one job after 90 minutes: hold on.

They had weathered Toronto's pressure, created chances of their own and secured a point that would have been valuable in the Northern Super League playoff race.

With a place in the inaugural W Canadian Championship semifinals on the line, AFC Toronto had another 30 minutes to find a winner.

The Rise held firm for another 10.

Until Kaylee Hunter arrived.

The 18-year-old headed home in the 100th minute to give Toronto a 2–1 victory and send Vancouver out of the Canadian Championship.

For the Rise, the result was particularly frustrating because they had looked in control for long stretches of the opening half.

“I thought in the first half we had control and created some big opportunities,” the Vancouver coaching staff said. “In the second half we were absolutely nowhere near the level required, and we really let ourselves down.”

Toronto started with plenty of intent, creating the first real danger of the afternoon.

The hosts eventually opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Lauren Rowe found Lena Silano inside the box. Silano made no mistake, giving Toronto an early 1–0 lead.

Vancouver did not take long to respond.

Eight minutes later, Camila Reyes slipped a pass behind Toronto's back line for Latifah Abdu. The forward stayed composed and guided her finish beyond Sabrina D'Angelo to bring the Rise level.

Suddenly, Vancouver had the momentum.

The Rise began finding more space and creating opportunities through Anna Bout and Jessica De Filippo, while Toronto continued to threaten through Silano and Hunter.

Neither side could find a second goal before halftime, but Vancouver had every reason to feel encouraged heading into the break.

The second half told a very different story.

Toronto hit the post early, with Silano again finding space inside the Vancouver defence.

The Rise thought they had taken the lead when Bout redirected a Jessika Cowart effort into the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Vancouver continued to push.

In the 60th minute, Bout cut the ball back for De Filippo, whose effort looked destined for goal before Shelina Zadorsky threw herself into the way.

The chances kept coming.

Substitute Alex Lamontagne later delivered a dangerous ball into the box, with Abdu getting on the end of it and attempting to set up De Filippo. Toronto's defence once again intervened.

While Vancouver remained dangerous, the team's control began to disappear.

“The work rate from the team, the decision-making and the overall team cohesion were lacking,” the coaching staff said. “When we needed players to step up, they didn’t, and that’s a real shame.”

The Rise were increasingly forced to defend deeper as Toronto pushed for the winner.

Sarah Stratigakis came close in the 70th minute, turning at the edge of the box before sending a low effort just wide of the far post.

Five minutes later, Vancouver nearly found a breakthrough of its own.

Josie Longhurst won possession near the edge of the Toronto box and tried to curl an effort into the top corner. The attempt had plenty of power but sailed over.

Toronto kept knocking on the door.

Stratigakis had another golden opportunity late in regulation when a loose ball fell to her in front of Morgan McAslan. She could not keep her point-blank effort on target.

That miss proved significant.

The Rise survived the 90 minutes, and the NSL portion of the match officially ended 1–1.

For Vancouver, the point mattered.

For the Canadian Championship, it wasn't enough.

Extra time began with Toronto pushing forward and Vancouver digging in.

The Rise knew they were 30 minutes away from a semifinal place, but fatigue was beginning to show.

Then, in the 100th minute, Toronto finally found the opening.

April Lantaigne delivered a corner into the box. Zadorsky rose above the crowd and redirected the ball toward the danger area.

Hunter was there.

The teenager met the header and sent the ball beyond McAslan to put Toronto ahead.

Vancouver suddenly had 20 minutes to save its tournament.

The Rise pushed forward in search of another equalizer, but Toronto managed the closing stages effectively. Vancouver could not find the same attacking rhythm it had shown earlier in the match.

The final whistle confirmed a 2–1 defeat.

For Vancouver, the result offered a frustrating reminder of how quickly momentum can disappear.

“We need to manage the momentum shifts of the game more effectively,” the coaching staff said. “The team really struggled mentally today, and that is a big reason for the unacceptable second-half performance.”

There were positives to take from the afternoon.

The Rise competed with Toronto for 90 minutes and earned a point that still counts toward the NSL standings. More importantly, Vancouver created enough chances to believe the match could have ended very differently.

The extra-time defeat, however, leaves the Rise with plenty to reflect on.

The challenge now is turning those lessons into a stronger finish to the league campaign.

Vancouver's NSL playoff push continues after the international break.