Latifah Abdu netted two goals in the opening half to propel Vancouver Rise to a 2-1 victory over Ottawa Rapid FC at home in the first leg of the Northern Super League semifinal on Tuesday. Ottawa’s Delaney Pridham narrowed the margin in the second half, setting the stage for the second leg at TD Place on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the other semifinal showdown pits AFC Toronto, the top team in the league, against the Montreal Roses. Toronto heads into the next match on Sunday with a comfortable 2-0 lead from the initial encounter.
The winners of the semifinals, determined by aggregate scores, will progress to the championship match on November 15 at BMO Field in Toronto, where the inaugural champion of the newly established Canadian women’s professional soccer league will be crowned.
Abdu capitalized on a defensive error by Ottawa in the 14th minute, taking advantage of a misjudged pass by Ottawa goalkeeper Melissa Dagenais at Swangard Stadium.
In the 21st minute, Abdu doubled her tally with a well-timed strike, creating space to slot the ball past the opposition’s goalkeeper. Pridham pulled one back for Ottawa in the 66th minute, showcasing her skills by evading Vancouver defender Rebecca Lake before slotting a precise shot into the net.
Reflecting on the match, Ottawa coach Katrine Pederson admitted her team’s slow start but praised their improved performance in the second half. She acknowledged Vancouver’s strong display and highlighted her team’s resilience and ability to create scoring opportunities in the latter part of the game.