Montréal Roses take the Shield, and the Final Four is set. Now, which team will take it all?

It’s been an incredible two weeks of games, folks. In Week 26, Halifax fought hard against the Roses for a win, managing a respectable draw, while Calgary put a dent in AFC Toronto’s plans for a win, and Ottawa took all the air out of the Vancouver Rise.

As the finals neared, the Roses were in the lead with Ottawa dangerously close behind, both vying for the League Shield.

Montréal Roses 1-0 Ottawa Rapid

In true movie-blockbuster fashion, the league leaders went head-to-head to start Week 27. The Montréal Roses were still without Anna Karpenko, but with a strong roster and Gabrielle Lambert in goal, they were well-positioned to take on the Ottawa Rapids' precise style of play.

In the first half, both teams came out with explosive energy, fighting for possession right out of the gate. Within four minutes, Elyse Bennett delivered a cross to Mimi Alidou for the first shot on goal. Ottawa Rapid's Melanie Forbes had an amazing spin pass to Jung Min-Young, then to Jyllissa Harris, but they were not able to get it to goal.

Charlotte Bilbault had an incredible run up the left flank, passing to Lisa Perchersky, only to have her shot stopped by Melissa Dagenais. It was a game of defending, with Dagenais keeping her team alive through the Montréal Roses' attacks. Moments later, it was a nerve-wracking moment for the Montréal Roses when Gabrielle Lambert came out of the goal to drive back the ball, only to have the Rapid weave around her and DB Pridham right in front of the goal. It was sheer grit from Anna Heilferty that kept the ball out of the net.

The electricity on the field was palpable in the 44th minute when Mimi Alidou seemed to get the first goal of the game, only for it to be called back for offside, a call that mystified announcers and players alike. It made for a bitter close to the first half for the Montréal Roses, with the score tied 0-0.

In the second half, both teams again brought out all their tricks, eager to drive the ball into the back of the other's net. With the clock ticking down and no goals scored, both teams brought on fresh legs to keep the momentum up. The substitution of N. Paquin for T. Boychuk proved fateful.

Mimi Alidou, who has shown her value in driving the ball and getting it into position, brought the ball upfield alongside Tanya Boychuk. With a precise pass, she placed Boychuk right in front of the Ottawa Rapid's goal. Weaving past Melissa Dagenais, Hannah Chon, and Sadie Waite, Boychuk fired the ball into the right corner and drove it into the back of the net.

With the final minutes counting down, the Montréal Roses were looking to hold and add to their lead, while the Ottawa Rapid needed to equalize. In this crucial match, though, the Montréal Roses came out ahead, shaking off the disappointment of a disallowed goal to win the Shield in the Northern Super League's second season.

Vancouver Rise 3-2 Calgary Wild

It’s been a bitter season for the Vancouver Rise, with the 2025 champions ending up fighting for the last spot in the finals against the Halifax Tides. Against the Calgary Wild, nothing was certain; while the Wild might hold last place, they've repeatedly shown they shouldn't be underestimated.

The Calgary Wild quickly took possession, with Callie Johnson taking the first shot on the Vancouver Rise's goal just 51 seconds in, stopped by Morgan McAslan.

Steady and poised, the Vancouver Rise quickly regrouped. With startling skill and brilliance, Mia Pante carried the ball up the left flank toward Calgary's goal and, with dynamic control, outwitted the Calgary defence to drive it into the back of the net. Within seven minutes, the Vancouver Rise showed they were in the game to dominate and wouldn't be denied.

That was far from the end of the first half, however, as the Calgary Wild fought to regain control and launched a fierce attack on the Vancouver Rise goal. A nail-biting moment came when N. Staton committed a foul, giving the Calgary Wild a penalty kick. Despite Teagan Stewart's usual precision, Morgan McAslan stopped her and denied the chance to equalize.

The energy only built from there, with the Rise and Wild both fighting offensively and defensively to get the next ball into the net. In an absolute stunner of a goal, Mia Pante again took the cross and sent the ball into the net, right past keeper Sarah Keilty-Dilling, to make it 2-0.

Unwilling to let that be the final word on the first half, the Calgary Wild put their will to the grindstone, and it was in the final moments of stoppage time that Josephine Aulicino lobbed a beautiful curling shot right into the goal, which couldn't have been any smoother if she had just mailed it. It was a blow to the Rise, who just seconds before had everything in the bag, and the first half closed 2-1.

As the second half began, with just 45 minutes to go, everything was on the line for the Vancouver Rise. That said, the Calgary Wild still played like prospective champions, bringing their tenacity to the field as they battled.

Jessica De Filippo replaced Alex Lamontagne for the Vancouver Rise. De Filippo, who has shown outstanding skill all season, quickly reminded everyone why she is a force to be reckoned with when she scored in the 53rd minute to make it 3-1.

Down but never truly out, the Calgary Wild fought to stay in the game and began their final charge. In the 69th minute, Jorian Baucom, known for her ferocity on the field, scored the second goal, bringing the score to 3-2 and keeping the pressure on the Rise as time wound down.

As both teams brought everything to the field, the Vancouver Rise held their defensive line and blocked any chance Calgary had of tying the game. The Vancouver Rise walked off the field, no doubt knowing they had done everything they could to hold their position in the final berth, while the Calgary Wild were likely asking, "What if?"

AFC Toronto 1-1 Halifax Tides (October 26)

Last, the game that decided the final fate of the Halifax Tides and the Vancouver Rise: AFC Toronto vs. the Halifax Tides. AFC Toronto have consistently been a difficult team for Halifax to beat, and there was no doubt they were prepared to dig in.

AFC Toronto made their intentions clear just one minute in when Lena Solano got a shot on target, and Anika Tóth got a fingertip to it for a skin-of-the-teeth save. AFC Toronto focused on creating those golden opportunities, with Kaylie Hunter and Lauren Rowe putting Anika Tóth through a true trial by fire. Shot after shot, AFC Toronto fought to get the ball into the back of the net, keeping Halifax's defence under pressure. Lena Solano took a weak shot, and Kaylee Hunter kept bringing the ball toward the goal, only for it to bounce off the side netting.

The Tides were on the back foot in this critical first half, which boded badly for their aspirations of claiming that final spot. However, always a stout keeper, Anika Tóth kept fighting off the attempts, showing precisely how hard she'd been preparing for these critical last games, backed up by Addison Weichers, who has demonstrated her skill in prior matches.

Then AFC Toronto's Kaylee Hunter reminded everyone on the field and in the stadium exactly who she is. Nikki Smalls lobbed a beautiful pass over to sniper Kaylee Hunter with an expertly timed assist, and Hunter put the ball into the back of the net like threading a needle. I can't put it better than the announcer, who stated: "Who else but Kaylee Hunter?" AFC Toronto took the lead with precision and dominating energy, 1-0.

The Halifax Tides refused to concede, though, and through patience and grit, built critical set pieces to find chances to equalize. That moment came seemingly out of thin air when Halifax Tides captain Saorla Miller brought the score to 1-1 with just moments to go in the first half. It was a thing of beauty. Miller didn't have much room, but she weaved, found her chance and took it, putting the Halifax Tides right back in the game.

A fierce second half started with a spark, as Halifax Tides captain Saorla Miller brought the ball up toward AFC Toronto's goal with a stunning shot, only for it to land on top of the net. The second half was Sabrina D'Angelo's moment to deliver, as Halifax looked to score again. Jordan Rhodes kept bringing the ball toward the net, but Colby Barnett pushed her attempt out.

Tiffany Cameron also worked to create space on the right flank, sending a long cross to Sheyenne Allen, but Allen's shot lacked the fire to go into the back of the net. The intensity kept building right into stoppage time, with the clock ticking down second by second.

The intensity exploded as Halifax kept attacking, shooting again and again at D'Angelo until Cameron crossed to Naya Cardoza right in front of the net. The ball grazed her foot, but D'Angelo was there to block it from going in. With the whistle blowing moments later, the fate was sealed for the Halifax Tides, as AFC Toronto dashed their hopes of beating out the Rise for that last spot.

Finals ahead

Four teams. Three games left. Will the Montréal Roses have it in them to not only win the Shield but also take the final championship? Will Vancouver Rise again to snatch that final win in the last game? Will AFC Toronto prove they might have landed third but were leaders all along, or will the Ottawa Rapid rise above the rest?

Tune in to the NSL to see who wins the 2026 Northern Super League Championship!