The final match of the 2023 MilkUP Ontario Cup Finals saw the Oakridge Firebirds Red go up against Cambridge United for the U16 Girls District title. The action unfolded Sunday evening at the Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughan, resulting in a 5-4 shootout win for Oakridge. 

The two squads battled it out in the midfield all game long, with Oakridge mustering just two shots in the first half while Cambridge managed one.  

Oakridge had the first big scoring opportunity in the 27th minute with a free kick fromHannah Wedlake, but it was a tough angle, and the ball flew past the far post. Her team followed that up with several attempts throughout the game, including a long range shot from Sophie Foster in the 42nd minute, and a courageous right footer by Sarah Jaquith in the 43rd. 

It was more of the same in the second half, with Oakridge finding more scoring chances but still failing to find the back of the net. Meanwhile, Cambridge didn’t get another opportunity to shoot. 

Juliana Bruce had a nice try for Oakridge in the 46th minute, followed by Chloe Dick in the 53rd. However, Oakridge’s greatest scoring opportunities came towards the end of the match. In the 66th minute, a strike by Isabella MacGregor was saved by Cambridge’s keeper Kennedy Shutsa. Rylee Barker was ready for the rebound, but kicked the ball too high, sending it over the crossbar. 

There were a few more tricky attempts against Shutsa in the remaining minutes of the match, but she was always ready for the save. 

The match ended in a 0-0 draw, sending Cambridge and Oakridge into penalties. The shootout ended 5-4 for Oakridge, making them the 2023 U16 Girls District MilkUP Ontario Cup champions. 

Visit the 2023 MilkUP Ontario Cup Finals Match Centre for full coverage on all the games this weekend. 

Watch the full game on the Ontario Soccer YouTube Channel. 

Visit the Ontario Soccer Facebook page for the full photo album.