Playoff Focus Sharpens against Ottawa
Published on October 1, 2026 under Northern Super League (NSL)
Roses de Montreal FC News Release
Sitting atop the Northern Super League standings with three matches remaining in the regular season, the Montréal Roses continue their push for the club's first-ever Supporters' Shield this Friday, October 2, as they host Ottawa Rapid FC at Stade Boréale for University Battle Night, presented by Boréale.
A victory would allow Montreal (11-4-7, 40 points) to extend its lead at the top of the table and mathematically secure a top-two finish in the general standings, guaranteeing vital home-field advantage for the playoffs while officially eliminating Ottawa from the regular season title race.
MATCH DETAILS
Friday, October 2, 2026 - 7:00 p.m. ET
Stade Boréale, Laval
Tickets from $28 at en.rosesmtl.ca/tickets
BROADCAST
RDS, TSN Premium & ESPN+
STORYLINES
The Supporters' Shield Race: The Roses lead the NSL with 40 points, holding a three-point cushion over AFC Toronto and four over Ottawa Rapid FC. A win on Friday takes Montreal to 43 points, a mark unreachable for Ottawa.
University Battle Night presented by Boréale: Local university students are invited to pack the stands and rep their schools on a night celebrating the collegiate roots of the roster.
Passing the Torch in Goal: Following Anna Karpenko's season-ending injury in Halifax last Sunday, Gabrielle Lambert officially takes over as the starting goalkeeper. Coming off the bench in the first half in Nova Scotia, the Quebec native made four saves to preserve a 0-0 clean sheet.
Clash of Styles: The matchup pits the league's second-meanest defense (Roses, 25 goals conceded) against the NSL's most potent attack (Ottawa, 44 goals scored). However, Ottawa also holds one of the league's most vulnerable defensive records, having allowed 41 goals.
Season Series: All three previous meetings between the clubs have been decided by a single goal: 2-1 (May 23) and 3-2 (September 6) wins for the Roses at TD Place, and a 2-1 victory for Ottawa at Stade Boréale (June 25).
Ironwomen Quad: Four Roses players have started all 22 regular-season matches: Lucy Cappadona (1,912 minutes), Anne-Valérie Seto (1,886 minutes), Elyse Bennett (1,829 minutes), and Charlotte Bilbault (1,502 minutes).
Golden Boot Pursuit: Elyse Bennett sits second in the NSL scoring race with 11 goals, trailing Vancouver's Jessica De Filippo by one. Ottawa is led by DB Pridham (8 goals) and Keera Melenhorst (6 goals).
Northern Super League Stories from October 1, 2026
- Playoff Focus Sharpens against Ottawa - Roses de Montreal FC
- Northern Super League Announces Women's Sport Now Conference Featuring Sarah Spain in Ottawa - NSL
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