NSL Week 18 and 19: BMO field curse broken, De Filippo heroics and record-breaking attendances

NSL Week 18 and 19: BMO field curse broken, De Filippo heroics and record-breaking attendances What a two weeks of Canadian football this has been. The Northern Super League (NSL) playoff race has been turned on its head, with Weeks 18 and 19 delivering yet again. Week 18 belonged to Vancouver. The Rise stunned league leaders Ottawa 5–1 in one of their most dominant performances of the season. A week later, they followed it up with a dramatic 2–2 draw against Calgary. Those results helped Vancouver climb into fourth and put the rest of the league on notice. Week 19, however, brought its own twist. Montréal took advantage of Halifax’s slip to move into first place, beating the Tides 1–0 in front of a record-breaking 17,000 fans at Stade Saputo. Meanwhile, Vancouver once again showed their ability to fight until the final whistle, rescuing a point against Calgary through Jess De Filippo’s 95th-minute header. In Toronto, the Battle of Ontario lived up to its name. AFC Toronto edged Ottawa 2–1 after a late fightback from the Rapid threatened to spoil the hosts’ afternoon. Week 18: Vancouver makes a statement Vancouver stole the headlines in Week 18 with a five-goal demolition of Ottawa. The Rise arrived at TD Place with plenty to prove and produced a performance that was impossible to ignore. After a cagey and physical opening half, Alex Lamontagne broke the deadlock in stoppage time on her first-ever NSL start. Then came the avalanche (get it? Lamontagne… avalanche… never mind). Lamontagne doubled Vancouver’s advantage less than 20 seconds into the second half to complete her brace. Then, Anna Bout, Camila Reyes and Maithé López added three more. Ottawa eventually pulled one back through Elise Bell, but Vancouver had already done the damage. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Northern Super League (@northernsuperleague) Elsewhere, AFC Toronto beat Halifax 2–0 at Wanderers Grounds. Nikayla Small opened the scoring before Kaylee Hunter converted from the penalty spot. Toronto’s defence did well to hold firm and secure the clean sheet. Sabs D’Angelo didn’t falter between the sticks and Toronto managed the game brilliantly. Halifax pushed for a way back, but ultimately could not catch up. The final whistle confirmed a 2-0 away win for a team Halifax is yet to beat. The weekend’s final match saw Montréal and Calgary draw 2–2 in another rain-soaked battle. Taegan Stewart put the Wild ahead from the spot before Mimi Alidou equalized. Elyse Bennett then gave Montréal the lead early in the second half, only for Jorian Baucom to fire Calgary level. The result kept Calgary’s unbeaten run alive but Vancouver’s rise was the biggest talking point. Week 19: The Resurgence If Week 18 was about Vancouver’s surge, Week 19 was about the teams around them refusing to give up ground. Montréal took a huge step to the top with a 1–0 victory over Halifax at Stade Saputo. In front of more than 17,000 fans, the two sides battled. After a scoreless first half, the match eventually shifted in the 67th minute. Halifax’s Sheyenne Allen was shown a second yellow card, leaving the Tides down to 10 players. Montréal took advantage. Mimi Alidou delivered a dangerous short corner and Anne-Valérie Seto rose to head the ball home in the 76th minute. Halifax pushed for an equalizer, but Montréal held on to claim the three points and now, the top spot. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Northern Super League (@northernsuperleague) Then came another Vancouver-Calgary thriller. The Wild struck first through Serita Thurton, who was quick to react to a rebound. Shortly after, Vancouver’s Quinn was brought down in the box. They equalized from the penalty spot with a powerful strike that almost seemed like it might go over. Calgary restored its lead before halftime when Thurton’s cross found Kahli Johnson, who headed home to make it 2–1. Vancouver spent the second half chasing the game and eventually their persistence paid off when De Filippo was subbed on. With 30 seconds left on the clock, it seemed like Calgary would be walking away with the win. Then, Reyes floated a ball in and Jess De Filippo rose to head it home in the 95th minute. Another comeback. Another point. And another reminder that this Vancouver team will not go quietly. AFC Toronto finally broke the BMO Field curse against Ottawa Rapid. They managed their first-ever win after their previous six matches there, including last year’s championship final against the Rise. View this post on Instagram A post shared by AFC Toronto (@afc.toronto) After a goalless first half, Toronto finally broke through in the 71st minute. Kaylee Hunter curled a free-kick into the top corner. Hunter then helped create Toronto’s second, setting up Sarah Stratigakis to make it 2–0 in the 85th minute. Ottawa responded almost immediately through Florence Belzile, but Toronto held firm through the final minutes to secure three points. Two weeks, one wide open race The biggest takeaway from Weeks 18 and 19? There is no room for anyone to relax. Vancouver’s five-goal statement in Ottawa and last-gasp draw against Calgary have pushed the Rise firmly into the playoff conversation. Montréal’s win over Halifax has reshaped the battle at the top, while Calgary’s unbeaten run continues to make the Wild one of the league’s toughest opponents. AFC Toronto has also picked up crucial points, and Ottawa’s position at the top is no longer as comfortable as it once looked. With the table tightening and the regular season running down, the NSL has reached the point where one result can completely change the picture. Two weeks ago, the standings looked one way. Now? It’s all up for grabs. Related articles from Her Football Hub: Tereza Romanovskaja: From a Turmantas schoolyard, to UWCL nights and the Lithuania national team NWSL: 6 standout young players who are making their mark on the 2026/27 season NSL Week 17 results: Simcoe County Rovers complete upset, Calgary Wild edge seven-goal thriller