With only one playoff spot left, the Vancouver Rise and the Halifax Tides faced another critical week. Let's go over how it all shook out.

Montréal Roses 0-0 Ottawa Rapid (October 2)

The Ottawa Rapid take on the Montréal Roses, two teams that have both clinched spots in the finals but have had a dramatic reversal in the standings. The Ottawa Rapid led the pack for most of the season, with the Montréal Roses close behind. The Montréal Roses started slowly but shifted gears, took the lead, and left the Ottawa Rapid in third place.

The Montréal Roses also made a major change: goalie Anna Karpenko was out with an injury and was replaced by Gabrielle Lambert. Gabrielle Lambert proved herself in her first game in a trial by fire and showed she is ready to serve as keeper.

Florence Belzize took a shot on goal just seconds after the first whistle, and Gabrielle Lambert deflected it wide.

The Roses quickly retaliated, positioning themselves in front of the Ottawa Rapid goal, but Melissa Dagenais stopped them. The intensity was high on both sides as they battled for control of the game. This showed that both teams came out ready to dominate and prepared for each other's tactics. In a demonstration of how equal these teams truly are, they ended the first half 0-0.

In the second half, both teams were eager to break the draw. Lisa Perchersky took the ball up the left side and crossed to Noémi Paquin, who battled to get the ball in, but Jyllisa Harris and Melissa Dagenais fought it off. The Montréal Roses won the corner after the deflection and built the set piece to get the ball in again, with a header from Charlotte Bilbault, but the ball went wild.

Ottawa won the ball back and drove it to the Montréal Roses goal, with a cross from Johanne Friesland to Keira Melenhorst, but Gabrielle Lambert dove to knock it out. It was a night for the keepers on both sides, as Lambert and Melissa Dagenais fought to keep the ball out of their goals.

Meanwhile, the intensity on the field kept building, and with tired legs and likely frustration, we saw the first yellows of the night: Ottawa Rapid's Olivia Scott, followed by Jazmine Wilkinson.

Despite the effort on both sides of the field, the stalemate held and the game ended 0-0. Possession was largely equal, but the Montréal Roses had 18 total shots, five on target, versus Ottawa Rapid's nine shots, two on target.

It was a skin-of-the-teeth game, but the Montréal Roses had some critical strengths.

Halifax Tides 0-0 Calgary Wild (October 3)

Another critical game for the Halifax Tides as they looked to oust the Vancouver Rise from the final spot in the finals berth, facing off against the Calgary Wild, who, while still out of the finals for the year, are wreaking mayhem for other teams.

In the first half, Halifax Tides sent the ball sailing from the kick-off and gave Calgary the throw-in, and then immediately battled in front of the Calgary Wild's goal. The Wild, who have kept competitive despite their position in the standings, battled off the Tides' efforts. The Ottawa Rapid, however, were just getting started and, within four minutes, kept attacking the net, only to be stopped by Anika Tóth, who has put in the work this season.

The Calgary Wild made an early sub, bringing in Teagan Stewart for Meggie Dougherty Howard, who was still recovering from a prior injury and was seen limping off the field. The match continued as a fierce contest over who could put the ball in the back of the net first.

In the first half, Halifax dominated in possession, total shots, and shots on goal, while Calgary relied mainly on fouls. Nevertheless, both sides finished tied at halftime, with neither team finding the space or bite needed to score.

In the second half, the pressure shifted to the Halifax Tides. Reported by Brianne Foley, Calgary Wild head coach Leah Blayney said they would adjust their tactics to better protect the ball in the second half. Meanwhile, assistant coach Katie Barrot said the Halifax Tides were looking to get the details right to win.

As the match continued, both teams once again focused on a tug-of-war for control of the field, looking to put their plans into play. Calgary's aggression was evident in their quick accumulation of yellow cards from Kahli Johnson, Jorian Baucom, Mya Jones, and finally Madison Pogarch.

Halifax kept trying to get in front of goal, with multiple shots on target, but they couldn't get past the Calgary defence.

Disappointingly for the Halifax Tides, the game ended 0-0, with the Calgary Wild continuing their trend of wilding on the field.

AFC Toronto 1-1 Vancouver Rise

Another critical match for the Vancouver Rise, as they claw for that last finals berth and look for another second-season championship win. Meanwhile, AFC Toronto, comfortably established in the finals berth, were ready to temper Vancouver Rise's ambitions. It was also a West Canadian Championship quarterfinal, raising the stakes for both teams.

In the first half, Vancouver Rise made their intentions clear with an early attempt on goal, drawing S. D'Angelo out of position. Kaylee Hunter from AFC Toronto responded with a shot on target, but Morgan Mcaslan stopped it.

Breaking the 0-0 trend early, Lena Silano scored the first goal in the 19th minute with an assist from Lauren Rowe. Not letting AFC Toronto get away with the early lead, the Vancouver Rise's Latifah Abdu responded by knocking the ball in after a long pass over the top. A moment of hesitation from Sabrina D'Angelo, combined with Latifah Abdu's change of direction as they approached, led to Vancouver equalizing in the 27th minute.

The opening half ended 1-1, with both teams showing impressive energy on the field.

In the second half, AFC Toronto continued to overload the Vancouver Rise, attacking the goal and taking shots, though they went wide and over. The Vancouver Rise kept the pressure on AFC Toronto as well, with tight moments that tested Sabrina D'Angelo's skills as she deflected shots. It made for an exciting match as both teams fought for offensive and defensive dominance.

At the 100-minute mark, AFC Toronto finally scored their second goal when Kaylie Hunter took advantage of a corner kick and headed the ball into the back of the net. As the clock ticked up to 120 minutes, the Vancouver Rise never equalized, and AFC Toronto, exhausted but victorious, took the win for the day.

Next up: Break!

The international break is this week, and the first game back is on October 17. With just two weeks left, it will be a question of whether the Vancouver Rise can hold on to fourth, or if the Halifax Tides can slip in at the last moment.