AFC Toronto leaves World Sevens Football tournament on winning note

AFC Toronto exited the World Sevens Football seven-a-side tournament on a winning note Saturday, edging the Kansas City Current 3-2 in Davie, Fla.

But two prior losses meant the Northern Super League team will not make Sunday's semifinals at the eight-team $5 million US tournament.

It's the inaugural North American edition of the seven-a-side tournament. The Bayern Munich women won the inaugural competition, defeating Manchester United 2-1 in May in Estoril, Portugal, for the $2.5 million winners share, with $1 million going to the players.

Each game lasts 30 minutes on a pitch about half the size of a normal field, with no offsides. Teams can dress 16 players per game, with unlimited substitutions on the fly.

Teenage striker Kaylee Hunter scored two goals and set up Esther Okoronkwo's winner against the NWSL's Current, outmuscling a defender and managing to prevent the ball from going out before sending it across goal for the Nigerian international to knock home.

Toronto came close to winning its two previous outings. It led Tigres Femenil 1-0 and 2-1 on Friday before the Mexican side rallied to win 3-2.

And earlier Saturday, the Northern Super League team seemed headed for a 2-1 win over Flamengo. But the Brazilian side, with its goalkeeper pulled for an extra attacker, stayed alive when Ju Ferreira scored with 20 seconds remaining. Five minutes of extra time failed to solve anything, setting up a penalty shootout.

Fernanda and Cristiane converted Flamengo's first two kicks. Hunter was good on Toronto's first attempt but goalkeeper Vivi Holzel stopped Okoronkwo's shot to win it for the Brazilians.

Other teams competing are the NWSL's San Diego Wave, Uruguay's Nacional, Colombia's Deportivo Cali and Mexico's