Montréal Roses and AFC Toronto Set for Championship Showdown

The 2026 Northern Super League (NSL) final is now confirmed as Montréal Roses and AFC Toronto prepare to face each other in Ottawa on November 14, competing for the coveted Diana B. Matheson Cup after contrasting semifinal outcomes.

Toronto secured their spot in the final with a dominant 4–0 victory over Ottawa Rapid at TD Place, completing the semifinal with an 8–2 aggregate score.

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Montréal, in contrast, managed to hold reigning champions Vancouver Rise FC to a 2–2 draw at home, successfully protecting their lead from the first leg and advancing 5–2 on aggregate.

Toronto Dominates Ottawa

AFC Toronto displayed a commanding performance in the second leg, decisively ending Ottawa’s playoff aspirations.

Toronto took an early lead just six minutes into the game, with Kaylee Hunter finishing a well-crafted move initiated by Lena Silano, extending their aggregate advantage. Unfortunately, the goal led to an injury for Ottawa goalkeeper Melissa Dagenais, necessitating a lengthy stoppage and ambulance assistance.

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Ottawa quickly faced a further setback as Hunter netted her second goal in the 29th minute, with an assist from Zoë Hasenauer. Toronto’s early dominance was underscored just before half-time with Silano scoring in the 44th minute, bringing the halftime score to 3–0 and a commanding 7–2 aggregate lead.

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In the second half, Ottawa’s challenges intensified as Nikayla Small added a fourth goal for Toronto in the 52nd minute, again assisted by Rowe. Despite Toronto holding only 49 percent possession, their shot conversion proved effective, having recorded six shots on target against Ottawa’s four from a total of 22 attempts.

The result marks Toronto’s second appearance in the NSL Final, as they aim to secure their first championship win after a previous loss to Vancouver.

Montréal Qualifies Against Vancouver

Montréal Roses charted a different path to the final, though they achieved the same goal.

Entering the second leg with a comfortable 3–0 first leg victory, the Supporters’ Shield winners were tested by a determined Vancouver side that sought to avoid early elimination.

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Noémi Paquin opened the scoring for Montréal in the 39th minute, assisted by Evelyn Badu. However, Vancouver quickly leveled the match with a goal from Player of the Year Jessica De Filippo just two minutes later. The visitors rallied and even took the lead through Latifah Abdu in the 45th minute, generating further pressure on the home side.

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In the second half, the introduction of Tanya Boychuk proved pivotal for Montréal as she assisted Lisa Pechersky to equalize in the 72nd minute, allowing the hosts to stabilize the match. Although Vancouver continued to press for a win, Montréal successfully managed the game’s closing moments to secure their advancement to the final.

Both teams demonstrated competitive stats, with Montréal achieving 52 percent possession and registering 14 shots, while Vancouver attempted 16 shots, seven of which tested the goalkeeper. However, the critical damage was done in the first leg.

With this result, Vancouver’s playoff run ended prematurely, unable to overcome the aggregate deficit established in the first leg despite a spirited effort.

A New Chapter for the Diana B. Matheson Cup

The upcoming final showcases two clubs with differing postseason journeys.

AFC Toronto is eager to transform their second final appearance into a championship victory, buoyed by their strong performance against Ottawa.