Latifah Abdu netted two goals in the opening half to drive the Vancouver Rise to a 2-1 victory over Ottawa Rapid FC at home in the first leg of the Northern Super League semifinals this Tuesday. Ottawa’s Delaney Pridham narrowed the margin with a goal in the second half. The return leg of the semifinal will take place at Ottawa’s TD Place on Saturday.
In the other semifinal matchup, league leaders AFC Toronto will face off against the Montreal Roses. Toronto holds a 2-0 advantage from the first leg as they head into the upcoming match on Sunday.
The winners of the semifinals, determined by aggregate scores, will progress to the championship match on November 15 at Toronto’s BMO Field, where the inaugural champion of the new Canadian women’s professional soccer league will be crowned.
Abdu capitalized on a defensive error by Ottawa’s goalkeeper Melissa Dagenais in the 14th minute at Swangard Stadium. She extended the lead in the 21st minute with a well-placed left-footed shot. Pridham, the leading goal scorer in the NSL’s debut season with 19 goals, scored Ottawa’s lone goal in the 66th minute by maneuvering past Vancouver’s defender.
Ottawa coach Katrine Pederson expressed disappointment with her team’s first-half performance but commended their improved showing in the second half. Ottawa aimed to create more opportunities and execute better in the upcoming leg of the semifinal matchup.