Ottawa Rapid FC 1-5 Vancouver Rise FC (August 22, 2026)

The league leaders, even while without D.B. Pridham, have no shortage of talent, though Pridham has been key in taking this team to the top. Meanwhile, the Vancouver Rise saw Alex Lamontagne come out for her first start, alongside Jessica De Filippo.

The Rise put the pressure on early, with two shots on goal from Latifah Abdu within seven minutes of the start, keeping Melissa Dagenais on her toes. The first half was marked by a tense opening, with several fouls called for both sides and yellow cards for Vancouver Rise players Camila Reyes and Maithé López, and for Johanne Fridlund from Ottawa, though Jessica De Filippo played close to the line herself with some defensive foul calls.

While Ottawa were working to find their tempo and footing, the Rise were working hard to put the ball in the net, reaching their target in stoppage time through the combination of De Filippo and Lamontagne, with Lamontagne scoring her first goal in her first game.

The second half saw the Vancouver Rise reminding the NSL why they were champions last season. Within three minutes of the restart, Lamontagne, with an assist from De Filippo, scored her second goal to make it 0-2. She followed her stunning contribution by setting up Anna Bout for the third.

Still showing they were in the game, Ottawa pushed to get back on the front foot, but a foul on Lamontagne gave the Rise a penalty, and Camila Reyes converted to make it 0-4. The Rise drove in the final nail in the 65th minute, with Maithé López's goal putting the score at 0-5.

Ottawa continued to make a valiant effort, and E. Bell was eventually able to put the ball past Vancouver Rise goalkeeper Jessica Wulf, but it was too late. The Vancouver Rise were the unquestioned victors.

Halifax Tides 0-2 AFC Toronto (August 23, 2026)

The past season has shown that the Halifax Tides and AFC Toronto are worthy rivals, with a history of draws and tight matches, but AFC Toronto had the win on 5 July 2026, so there was no doubt the Halifax Tides were hungry to respond.

Halifax put some teeth into the match with two attempts on goal within the first eight minutes, working to seize control in the first half. It was a fierce back-and-forth, with both sides fighting through wet, foggy conditions to get to their target, and it was AFC Toronto who made the first breakthrough, with Nikki Small bringing the score to 0-1.

AFC Toronto added a second in the first half via a penalty from Kaylee Hunter, who is always ready to show her quality on the field. With the score 0-2, the half closed with a clear AFC Toronto advantage.

The Halifax Tides came out at halftime determined to level the score, but that was not to be. The second half continued the fierce contest, but Nikki Small and Shelina Zadorsky proved to be a wall in front of keeper Sabrina D'Angelo for two Halifax attempts. In turn, the Tides kept AFC Toronto from adding a third goal, showing tenacity in their defence.

While the Halifax Tides held the defensive line in the second half, there was not enough in their attacking play to claw back the deficit, and AFC Toronto strode off with the win.

Montréal Roses 2-2 Calgary Wild FC (August 23, 2026)

The Calgary Wild are the wild cards of the NSL. The last few matches have shown that writing them off is a clear mistake. Meanwhile, the Montréal Roses have maintained their second-place spot through sheer tenacity. With the Roses only three points behind Ottawa Rapid FC, and the Wild determined to make their mark, both teams came out ready to play. The result was a nerve-fraying, nail-biting fight to the finish.

Both teams have undergone significant shifts with mid-season coaching changes, so anyone watching had reason to question how these teams were adapting. With the Calgary Wild coming off a victory against the league leaders, all bets were off in this game.

Montréal Roses had one change in their line-up, with Amandine Pierre-Louis making her first start, joining midfielders Chloé Minas, Lisa Pechersky, and Marie-Yasmine Alidou. Elyse Bennett and Tanya Boychuk were set as strikers. Bennett, one of the top contenders for the Golden Boot, was undoubtedly ready to add to her impressive tally. Anna Karpenko, who has shown this season that she is a keeper to be reckoned with, had the support of a defensive line of Charlotte Bilbault, Mégane Sauvé, Anne-Valérie Seto, and Lucy Cappadona.

The Calgary Wild had their own impressive make-up, with Jorian Baucom as striker, Teagan Stewart, Serita Thurton, and Kahli Johnson in midfield, and a defensive line-up including Josie Aulicino, Hannah Boughton, Madison Pogarch, Taylor Otto, Meikayla Moore, Grace Stordy, and goalkeeper Katelin Talbert.

In the first half, both teams came out ready to seize control. The Montréal Roses showed their impressive ability to pass, build, and attack, while the Calgary Wild demonstrated they would make nothing easy with a tough defensive display. Meikayla Moore was a stalwart presence, supporting Katelin Talbert in keeping goals off the line. Meanwhile, Anna Karpenko was bailed out by the woodwork, which kept a Grace Stordy effort from going in.

It was a foul by Anne-Valérie Seto on K. Johnson that gave Calgary their first goal in the 34th minute. There was no doubt watching Seto that she knew she had made a critical error. Teagan Stewart took the penalty, and even with Anna Karpenko's capable hands, there was little chance she was going to stop it.

With the score 0-1, the Montréal Roses had to regroup. Bruised but not beaten, the remainder of the first half was marked by the Roses taking the game to Calgary, and the final word came from Lisa Pechersky and Marie-Yasmine Alidou. Taking possession after a Calgary Wild free kick, Pechersky ran the ball forward and played a long pass to Alidou, who slid the ball into the net past Katelin Talbert. Alidou, who joined from the Portland Thorns to come home and play for the Montréal Roses, has steadily made her name through assists and goals this season.

The second half was opened by Elyse Bennett, who scored five minutes in to make it 2-1 and increase her chances for the coveted Golden Boot. It would have seemed that this was set to be match-decided given the Calgary Wild's season trend, but anyone thinking that was dead wrong. Jorian Baucom, who was an absolute menace throughout the game, made it clear that the Wild were not done when she scored in the 70th minute to level at 2-2.

With twenty minutes left, both sides were looking to land the decisive blow, and those twenty minutes were nail-biting. With four minutes of stoppage time, it was open for either side to take the win, but both held their ground and kept the ball out of the net. The 2-2 draw left the Montréal Roses' position in the standings — and the article — hanging in the air.

With a game marked by goals called back for offside, ugly fouls, and sharp Rose thorns against the Wild's talons, it is clear the NSL always has surprises in store.

Upcoming matches

Montréal Roses vs Halifax Tides at Stade Saputo (Saturday, August 29, 2026)

The Montréal Roses will be looking to take all three points from this match, having narrowed the gap to Ottawa Rapid FC to just two points, while AFC Toronto trails three points behind them. Meanwhile, the Halifax Tides will be equally hungry, sitting just one point behind the Vancouver Rise.

So the question is, who will be the most voracious for this critical win?

Vancouver Rise vs Calgary Wild at Swangard Stadium (Saturday, August 29, 2026)

The Vancouver Rise cannot afford overconfidence in this matchup against the Calgary Wild. With both teams sitting in the bottom two, the Rise have more to lose here, while the Wild are far from clinching a spot in the final four; the Rise are right at the edge.

AFC Toronto vs Ottawa Rapid FC at BMO Field (Sunday, August 30, 2026)

It's the third-place team against the league leaders. Both teams need the win to fend off the Montréal Roses in the standings. Neither can afford a loss in this matchup, so who will be willing to pay the higher price?

It's going to be a thrilling few weeks as we get closer to finals season, so make sure to check out TrueNorthFoot to keep up with the standings.