The U17 Girls final at the 2024 OPDL Gary Miller Charity Shield saw two Ottawa teams, Ottawa South United (OSU) and Ottawa TFC, face off in a tense and evenly contested match that ultimately came down to penalties and sudden death, with OSU emerging as champions. The action took place Saturday afternoon at the Zanchin Automotive Soccer Centre in Vaughan.
Both teams started with energy, each firing shots early in the match. While neither goalkeeper was seriously challenged in the opening stages, the balance of play made it clear this would be a closely fought contest. By halftime, both sides had registered five shots apiece, though the score remained 0-0.
Ottawa TFC found the breakthrough in the 52nd minute. Rachel Gopalakrishnan collected a throw-in from Rowyn Serne and, spotting an opportunity from range, sent a precise shot into the low corner of the net, giving TFC a 1-0 lead.
OSU tried to respond quickly, launching an attack in the 53rd minute, but their header attempt sailed wide of the target.
In the 62nd minute, Ottawa TFC came close to doubling their lead during a scramble in front of the OSU goal. However, Zoe McLauchlan bravely stepped in to block the final shot, preventing what looked like a sure goal.
OSU finally found their equalizer in the 71st minute. Cindy Yang threaded a perfect through ball to Mia Ugarte, who unleashed a well-placed shot from the top of the box. The ball rolled just out of the keeper’s reach and into the corner of the net, tying the game 1-1.
OSU kept pressing, with Francesca Mureta leading the charge late in the match. In the 80th minute, she forced a save from TFC keeper Lauren Yeomans, and minutes later, she tried twice more but missed just wide both times. In added time, OSU made a final push to end it before penalties. Yang took a long-range shot, and McLauchlan was ready for the rebound, but Yeomans stood tall, making back-to-back crucial saves to keep the score level at 1-1.
With the deadlock unresolved, the match went to penalties. Both teams battled through a nerve-wracking shootout, pushing into sudden death. The decisive moment came with a heroic save from OSU’s Charlotte Murray-Martin, who denied TFC’s final attempt to secure the victory for her team.
Match Highlights
You can watch the full match on the Ontario Soccer YouTube channel.
Championship Photo
Visit the Ontario Soccer Facebook page to see the full photo album.
