On Sunday, July 20 at the Zanchin Automotive Soccer Centre Stadium, the U18 Boys Final in the 2025 MilkUP Ontario Cup featured a thrilling showdown between North York Asante Elite and St. Catharines Club Roma. After a tightly contested battle, North York emerged victorious with a 2-1 win, thanks to a dramatic penalty kick in added time.
The match opened with a cautious pace from both sides, disrupted early on by injuries that forced substitutions on each bench. The best chance of the first half came in the 43rd minute, when St. Catharines' Hazem Jebran fired a powerful shot on goal, but North York keeper Sefor Simret came up with a critical save to keep things level. Just moments later, Omar Shee had another opportunity for St. Catharines in added time, but his effort sailed just wide. The first half ended scoreless.
Both teams returned from the break with more energy and intensity. In the 57th minute, North York’s Desmond Abraham tested St. Catharines' goalkeeper Quentin Schmidt, who made a huge save to keep his team in the match. But just minutes later, North York broke through — Arceli Tabladillo rose high to head home a corner kick in the 65th minute, giving Asante Elite a 1–0 lead.
North York continued to press, with efforts from Dhanpat Prvishkar and Jeremiah Taylor, while Schmidt made a series of impressive stops to keep St. Catharines in the game.
In the 82nd minute, St, Catharines found their equalizer. Matthew Schirru dribbled around a defender and launched a long-range shot that found the back of the net, tying the match at 1–1 and setting up a tense final stretch.
North York kept the pressure on, with late chances from Michael Berkoe in the 87th minute and Jayden Ruiz in added time, both denied by the standout performance of Schmidt.
The game looked headed to extra time until North York earned a penalty kick deep into stoppage time. Julian Olafemi stepped up and calmly buried it, sealing the 2–1 win and securing the U18 Boys Ontario Cup title for North York Asante Elite.
