NSL Week 26 results: A tense finish looms as the playoffs race goes down to the wire

NSL Week 26 results: A tense finish looms as the playoffs race goes down to the wire The Northern Super League (NSL) Week 26 results delivered a major twist in the race for the playoffs. Halifax Tides FC fought back from two goals down to draw Montréal Roses FC 2-2. Calgary Wild FC edged AFC Toronto 1-0. Ottawa Rapid FC then stunned Vancouver Rise FC with a 5-2 comeback. The results have set up a tense finish to the regular season. Halifax and Vancouver sit level on 28 points, with the Tides ahead on tiebreakers. Both clubs have one match remaining, and only one can claim the fourth and final playoff spot. At the top of the table, the Supporters’ Shield remains a major prize. The team that finishes first in the regular season earns the Shield, while the Diana B. Matheson Cup goes to the playoff champion. The top four qualify for two-legged semifinals, with first place facing fourth and second meeting third. The semifinal winners then meet in the final. With a postseason place and the Shield race still in play, every remaining point matters. Halifax Tides refuse to fold Montréal looked comfortable at Wanderers Grounds after Lucy Cappadona opened the scoring and Mimi Alidou converted a penalty just before halftime. The Roses took a 2-0 lead into the break and appeared on course for three points. Halifax had other ideas. The Tides returned with greater urgency and began to put Montréal under pressure. In the 70th minute, Syd Kennedy delivered a cross to Tiffany Cameron, who laid the ball back for Jordyn Rhodes. Rhodes struck first time to cut the deficit to one. The home side kept pushing. Substitute Naya Cardoza won possession before Julianne Vallerand played the ball to Tiffany Cameron. The forward chipped the goalkeeper to complete the comeback and make it 2-2. Anika Tóth then produced a crucial save to preserve the point. Halifax had rescued a result that could define their season. The draw moved the Tides level with Vancouver and gave them a genuine chance to return to the playoffs. Calgary strike early and hold firm Calgary made their visit to BMO Field count (the curse prevails!). Jorian Baucom needed less than five minutes to find the net after reacting quickest to a loose ball in the box. The finish gave the Wild an early lead and forced Toronto to chase the game. AFC Toronto controlled much of the possession and created opportunities through Lauren Rowe, Kaylee Hunter and Lena Silano. Calgary refused to give them space in dangerous areas. The defence blocked shots, closed passing lanes and protected goalkeeper Sarah Keilty-Dilling. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Calgary Wild FC (@calgarywildfc) Toronto increased the pressure after halftime. Silano tested Keilty-Dilling, while Hunter and Nikayla Small both struck the woodwork late in the match. Unfortunately for them, the equalizer never came. Calgary secured a 1-0 win and claimed their first victory over Toronto in 10 meetings. Although the Wild had already been eliminated from playoff contention, they continued to influence the race by taking points from teams with something to lose. Their role as spoilers is far from finished. Ottawa expose Vancouver’s defensive weaknesses Vancouver appeared to have the match under control at TD Place. Mia Pante delivered a dangerous ball that Anna Bout volleyed into the top corner. Latifah Abdu followed with a second goal just a minute later, giving the Rise a 2-0 lead. Ottawa then responded through D.B. Pridham (because… who else?), who finished after Keera Melenhorst won possession and supplied the pass. Vancouver had a chance to restore their two-goal advantage before halftime, but Jessica De Filippo’s shot hit the post. The Rise went into the break leading 2-1. Unfortunately for the reigning champs, they never found the same control after the restart. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Northern Super League (@northernsuperleague) A defensive mix-up allowed substitute Florence Belzile to equalize. She struck again soon after to put Ottawa ahead, exposing the gaps Vancouver left at the back. Elise Bell added a fourth from a rehearsed corner routine before Pridham completed the scoring in added time. Ottawa scored four times in the second half to turn a one-goal deficit into a 5-2 victory. Vancouver’s attack showed its quality early, but their defensive structure could not withstand Ottawa’s pressure. The Rise struggled to manage transitions and left too much space for the Rapid to exploit. Those lapses proved costly and they now head into their final match with little to no room for another mistake. Now or never for Vancouver Vancouver return to Swangard Stadium on Sunday to face Calgary knowing exactly what is at stake. They sit level on points with Halifax but trail on tiebreakers. To clinch fourth place outright, the Rise must better Halifax’s result against AFC Toronto on Monday. A win would shift the pressure to the Tides. Vancouver could then watch Monday’s match knowing they had done their part. Anything less leaves their playoff hopes vulnerable to Halifax’s result. The challenge is clear. The Rise must bring their attacking sharpness without repeating the defensive errors that cost them against Ottawa. They have the quality to trouble Calgary but they need a more disciplined performance across the full 90 minutes. The home crowd could also play a part. With their championship defence on the line, Vancouver need to make Swangard a difficult place for the Wild to visit. Spoiling the spoilers Calgary have taken on the role of spoiler since their elimination from playoff contention. Their results against Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax have helped shape both the Shield race and the fight for the final playoff place. The Wild have little pressure on them, but they have shown they can compete with teams chasing bigger prizes. Their recent win over Toronto demonstrated their defensive resilience and ability to make an early goal count. Vancouver cannot afford to underestimate them. Calgary have the freedom to play without the weight of a postseason race, while the Rise must manage the pressure of a season-defining match. For Vancouver, the task is to spoil the spoilers. They must control the game, defend more effectively and take their chances. De Filippo has the Golden Boot in sight Embed from Getty Images The playoff race is not the only story heading into the final matchday. Vancouver forward Jessica De Filippo also has an individual prize within reach. De Filippo leads the scoring charts with 12 goals, one ahead of Montréal’s Elyse Bennett and two ahead of Ottawa’s D.B. Pridham. With one home match remaining, she has an opportunity to strengthen her position and secure the NSL Golden Boot. Her contribution could prove decisive on two fronts. Another goal would boost Vancouver’s chances of reaching the playoffs while moving De Filippo closer to finishing the season as the league’s leading scorer. For De Filippo and the Rise, the opportunity is there. They must take it. Everything on the line Week 26 changed the playoff picture. Halifax’s comeback brought the Tides level with Vancouver, Calgary continued to disrupt the league’s contenders and Ottawa exposed defensive problems the Rise must address before their final match. Now the focus shifts to the closing weekend. Vancouver face Calgary first, knowing a win would put the pressure on Halifax. The Tides then travel to Toronto with a chance to decide their own fate. The Supporters’ Shield race adds another layer of intrigue, while De Filippo’s pursuit of the Golden Boot gives Vancouver another reason to finish strongly. The margins are tight, and the consequences are clear. Vancouver have one more home match to keep their championship defence alive. Halifax have one more opportunity to reclaim a place in the top four. Only one will secure the final playoff berth. The NSL’s closing weekend will decide who gets to keep chasing the title. Related articles from Her Football Hub: Arkema Première Ligue week 5 results: Lyon spoil PSG’s party, Paris FC nab second spot ÖFB-Frauen Bundesliga results: Sturm Graz seize top spot, Pölten fall to Austria Wien and LASK dominate Linz derby Ninja A-League results: Central Coast Mariners take early lead with impressive win over Brisbane Roar