Vancouver Rise FC Defeat Ottawa Rapid FC 2-1 on Home Soil to Take the Lead in the NSL Semifinals
NSL Vancouver Rise FC

Vancouver Rise FC Defeat Ottawa Rapid FC 2-1 on Home Soil to Take the Lead in the NSL Semifinals

Published on November 5, 2025 under Northern Super League (NSL)
Vancouver Rise FC News Release


BURNABY, BC - It was another night to remember at Swangard Stadium on Tuesday, as Vancouver Rise FC recorded their first playoff victory in their history after winning 2-1 against Ottawa Rapid FC in the first leg of the NSL Playoff Semifinals presented by Toyota.

It was a bright start to the match for Rise FC, as Samantha Chang and Jessica De Filippo found some early space to take some shots. Holly Ward had a look on goal after being found in behind on the left, but her shot squeezed underneath Rapid FC 'keeper Melissa Dagenais and out the side to the sideline. Jasmyne Spencer then made a diving tackle to deny Ottawa a scoring opportunity in the 11th minute off a corner.

Latifah Abdu opened the scoring in the 15th minute after capitalizing on a mistake in Ottawa's backline. The forward latched onto a loose pass and bounced a shot past Dagenias to make it 1-0. Abdu got her second just six minutes later, thanks to a fantastic play down the right hand side. Jessica De Filippo ran down the right and put in a fantastic early cross right into the path of Abdu in the box, who turned her defender and smashed it into the net to make it 2-0. Rise FC were then firmly in the ascendancy, controlling the tempo and pace of the match.

Spencer had a pop herself with ten minutes to go in the first half, firing first time from 25 yards out, forcing Dagenais to make a full-stretch save. Lisa Pechersky found some space on the right side of the box and fizzed a low cross that Dagenais just about managed to get to first. Ward was ever so close to making it 3-0 after she made a darting run into the box, getting on the end of a De Filippo ball but her diving shot went over the crossbar.

Rise FC then went into the break with a healthy lead both in the game and in the tie.

Second half saw Rise FC continue their dominance. Abdu nearly got her hat-trick 10 minutes into the half after a great slaloming run from De Filippo in the heart of midfield. The forward played Abdu in behind but her left footed shot skewed the wrong side of the near post. Ward had another run right at the defence minutes later, driving a low shot towards goal but it was well held by Dagenais.

Ottawa Rapid FC did get one back in the 68th minute, as D.B. Pridham cut inside from the right and fired a shot inside the near post to make it 2-1. Rapid FC then began to throw everything forward, putting great pressure on Rise FC. Spencer showcased her athleticism and experience by making an excellent challenge as the last player in a one-on-one to keep Rise FC's lead intact.

Rise FC held firm in the dying moments, clearing any ball that went into their box and managed to grind out the 2-1 win in the end, putting them in the driver's seat for the second leg in Ottawa on Saturday, November 8th. Kick-off is at 12pm PT.

MATCH DETAILS

Referee: Carly Shaw-MacLaren

Scoring Summary

15' - VAN - Latifah Abdu

22' - VAN - Latifah Abdu (Jessica De Filippo)

68' - OTT - D.B. Pridham (Nicola Golen)

Statistics

Possession: VAN 49% - OTT 51%

Shots: VAN 18 - OTT 7

Shots on Goal: VAN 5 - OTT 2

Offsides: VAN 1 - OTT 1

Corners: VAN 4 - OTT 4

Yellow Cards: VAN 1 - OTT 2

Red Cards: VAN 0 - OTT 0

Cautions

78' - OTT - Johanne Fridlund

90'+4 - VAN - Morgan McAslan

90'+5 - VAN - Kayla Adamek

Vancouver Rise FC

13.Morgan McAslan; 3.Jasmyne Spencer, 21.Jessika Cowart (7.Nicole Stanton 76'), 23.Rebecca Lake, 18.Yuka Okamoto; 5.Quinn, 8.Samantha Chang©, 10.Lisa Pechersky (14.Anna Bout 65'); 11.Jessica De Filippo (9.Mariah Lee 65'), 99.Latifah Abdu (24.Josie Longhurst 90'+3), 19.Holly Ward

Substitutes

1.Kirstin Tynan, 6.Sofia Hagman, 12.Jaylyn Wright, 25.Nedya Sawan, 28.Jaime Perrault

Ottawa Rapid FC

30.Melissa Dagenais; 3.Kayla Adamek, 18.Olivia Scott, 33.Jyllissa Harris, 19.Choo Hyo-Joo; 11.Desiree Scott (6.Julia Benati 80'), 14.Lee Min-A (10.Florence Belzile 70'), 8.Ellen Gibson; 98.Stella Downing (15.Nicola Golen HT), 22.Delanie-Baie Pridham, 7.Johanne Fridlund (5.Emily Amano 80')

Substitutes not used

12.Kelly Chiavaro, 2.Susanna Haaland, 9.Jazmine Wilkinson, 13.Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene, 21.Melanie Forbes

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Northern Super League Stories from November 5, 2025


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