Mexico’s Tigres edges AFC Toronto at World Sevens Football tournament in Florida
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DAVIE – Maria Sanchez scored a hat trick to lift Mexico’s Tigres Femenil to a 3-2 win over AFC Toronto at the World Sevens Football seven-a-side tournament Friday.
Tigres rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits. Nigerian international Esther Okoronkwo and Nikki Small had the Toronto goals.
It’s the inaugural North American edition of the seven-a-side tournament, with a total purse of US$5 million.
The Bayern Munich women won the inaugural tournament, defeating Manchester United 2-1 in May in Estoril, Portugal.
Each game lasts 30 minutes on a pitch about half to two-thirds the size of a normal field. The rules are slightly different, with unlimited rolling substitutions and no offsides. Teams can dress 16 players per game.
The eight-team Florida tournament runs through Sunday at Beyond Bancard Field at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Fla., the former training camp home of the Miami Dolphins. The 7,000-capacity stadium is now home to Fort Lauderdale United FC, whose men’s and women’s teams compete in USL League Two and the USL W League, respectively.
In earlier play Group 1 play Friday, Brazil’s Flamengo downed the NWSL’s Kansas City Current 3-2. The NWSL’s San Diego Wave defeated Colombia’s Deportivo Cali 3-1 in Group 2 play with Mexico’s Club América playing Uruguay’s Nacional in the late game Friday,
The seven-a-side tournament is a festive affair, with music playing throughout the games.
Toronto showed off a set piece during player introductions. After the first six Toronto starters lined up, the seventh came on and mimed launching a bowling ball at her teammates, who fell down on cue.
Okoronkwo opened the scoring in the fifth minute, beating Tigres goalkeeper Itzel González with a low shot after taking advantage of a lax Tigres pass. Kaylee Hunter had come close for Toronto with a nifty volley after pulling down a long clearance from goalkeeper Sierra Cota-Yarde.
Tigres pulled even soon after, with Sanchez outmuscling a Canadian defender before beating Sierra Cota-Yarde. It was 1-1 at the break.
Tigres’ Cristina Ferral somehow missed an open goal late in the half after Stephany Mayor found her unmarked in front with Cota-Yarde out of position. Ferral clutched her head in disbelief after redirecting the ball over the crossbar.
Small gave Toronto a 2-1 lead two minutes into the second half. Taking advantage of a Mexican player’s miscue, Hunter pounced on the ball, beat a defender and found Small in front of goal.
Sanchez, a U.S.-Mexican dual citizen who played in the NWSL for Chicago, Houston and San Diego, answered in the 22nd minute with a left-footed rocket from distance. She scored again soon after, with another long-range shot through a Toronto defender’s legs.
Gonzalez preserved the Tigres lead with a spectacular save, getting a hand to a Jade Kovacevic shot.
Toronto faces Flamengo and Kansas City on Saturday. The top two in each group progress to Sunday’s semifinals.
The May tournament in Europe also featured Paris Saint-Germain (France), Manchester United (England), Ajax (the Netherlands), AS Roma (Italy), Benfica (Portugal) and Rosengård (Sweden).
Canadian international Simi Awujo, playing for Manchester United, was named the tournament’s Breakout Player.
The tournament co-founder is U.S.-based philanthropist Jennifer Mackesy, a co-owner of NWSL champion Gotham FC and minority stakeholder in Chelsea Women.
The competition requires clubs to share a portion of their prize money with staff and players, although the actual amount is to be determined by the clubs themselves
Toronto last played in the Nov. 15 Northern Super League championship game, conceding two goals 14 minutes apart in the second half in a 2-1 loss to the Vancouver Rise. Toronto (16-6-3 during the regular season) dispatched the Montreal Roses 6-1 on aggregate in the two-legged semifinal to reach the final at BMO Field.
World Sevens Football will be sharing the soccer spotlight with the Vancouver Whitecaps and Inter Miami, who meet Saturday in the MLS Cup final, a 20-minute drive away at Chase Stadium.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2025