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NSL Ottawa Rapid FC Put On A Show For Home Opener Against Calgary Wild FC

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The Northern Super League returns to the nation’s capital for the 2026 season as the Ottawa Rapid FC kick off their home opener against the Calgary Wild FC.

Celebrating Pride Night, Rapid FC delivered an outstanding performance for their home fans with a 5-2 victory over Wild FC.

With NSL Co-founder Diana Matheson in attendance for the ceremonial coin toss, Rapid FC didn’t waste any time to open the scoring. With only 35 seconds played, Melanie Forbes would score the first goal of the game off a rebounded shot from Delaney Baie Pridham.

However, Wild FC would go on an offensive push for the next 10 minutes and secure two goals back to back to take the lead. The first goal to tie the game would come from a penalty kick from Meggie Dougherty Howard after a foul by Rapid FC captain Olivia Scott. Just one minute later Howard would then assist Taegan Stewart for Wild FC’s second goal of the game to take a 2-1 lead.

The lead wouldn’t last long. In the 25th minute, Ottawa native and celebrating her 23rd birthday, Keera Melenhorst scored a top corner goal assisted by Florence Belzile to tie the game. Belzile would then get a goal for herself soon after to regain the lead 3-2. Thanks to an unforced error between Wild FC goalie Molly Race and her defenders, Melenhorst was able to secure a brace and extend the Rapid FC lead to 4-2 before the half as fans sang her happy birthday from the stands.

To cap off the night, Choo Hyojoo would make an exclamation and score Rapid FC’s 5th goal of the day off a through ball from Melenhorst.

While Wild FC had a good start to the first half, they were unable to get past Rapid FC goalie Melissa Dagenais in the second half who made save after save. The depth from Rapid FC was on full display with their solid defense lead by captain Scott, fast wingers in Forbes, Belzile and Hyojoo, and dominant midfield with Pridham and Melenhorst.

Ottawa Rapid FC move up the standings to 4th and will face Vancouver on May 6th at TD Place, Ottawa.
Calgary Wild FC will return to Calgary and look to get their first win of the season against the Montreal Roses on May 16th.

Check out our favourite photos of the match below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!

NSL OTTAWA RAPID FC v CALGARY WILD FC

All Photo Credit: Kieran Delport

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WNBA – A Record Breaking Night in Montreal as the Toronto Tempo Took on the Dallas Wings

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Tempo vs Wings WNBA 2026-9-LQ

Dallas Wings 108, Toronto Tempo 95 – Friday, July 10, 2026 – Bell Centre, Montreal, QC

History was made in Montreal before the ball was even tipped. As part of the Tempo Cross-Canada Series, the Toronto Tempo and Dallas Wings drew 20,996 fans to the Bell Centre, a new WNBA regular-season attendance record, eclipsing the 20,711 mark set by the Washington Mystics at Capital One Arena in 2024. It’s a number that speaks to the surging momentum behind women’s basketball in Canada, even if the result didn’t go Toronto’s way.

A Shootout Between Stars

The Tempo came out firing behind All-Star guard Marina Mabrey, who scored 17 of her game-high 34 points in the first quarter alone en route to a 33-25 lead after one. But Dallas had an answer of its own in Paige Bueckers, who matched Mabrey point for point with 34 of her own, willing the Wings back into it as the game stayed tight into the fourth.
Toronto got big nights from up and down the roster. Laura Juskaite poured in a career-high 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting, Isabelle Harrison added 18 points and eight rebounds, and María Conde dished a career-high nine assists to go with 12 points. Four Tempo players finished in double figures, a strong offensive showing that ultimately wasn’t enough.

The Fourth Quarter Turned It

The game was tied at 85 heading into the final period, with 11 lead changes and 12 ties on the night reflecting just how even the contest was. But Dallas seized control down the stretch. Alysha Clark was perfect from the field in the fourth, hitting all four of her attempts, including two threes, for 10 points, while the Wings’ defense clamped down on Toronto, holding the Tempo to just 10 points in the frame. Bueckers added 7 more in the quarter, and Dallas outscored Toronto 24-10 to pull away for the 108-95 final.

Jessica Shepard was steady all night for the Wings, finishing with 17 rebounds and 20 points, while Arike Ogunbowale chipped in 20 points and 7 assists off strong perimeter shooting.

By the Numbers
– Leading scorers: Mabrey (TOR) and Bueckers (DAL) – 34 each
– Leading rebounder: Shepard (DAL) – 17
– Assist leader: Conde (TOR) – 9
– Field goals: Toronto 54.7% (35-64) | Dallas 52.7% (39-74)
– Turnovers: Toronto 14 | Dallas 7

The Tempo will close out their stay in Montreal on Saturday, July 12 at 3 p.m., when they face the New York Liberty in the second game of the Cross-Canada Series, presented by CIBC and Sephora. Tickets are on sale now on evenko.ca.

Check out our favourite photos of the game below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!

TORONTO TEMPO v DALLAS WINGS

All Photo Credit: Kieran Delport

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NSL AFC Toronto Defeats Vancouver Rise FC 3-1 at Swangard Stadium

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Vancouver Rise FC vs AFV Toronto

Lauren Rowe continued her impressive scoring run on Sunday, leading AFC Toronto to a 3-1 victory over Vancouver Rise FC at Swangard Stadium. The forward found the back of the net for the fourth consecutive match as Toronto improved to 3-3-2 on the season and climbed into fourth place in the Northern Super League standings with 12 points.

The result gives AFC Toronto the edge in the season series between the two clubs after each side had won one of their previous meetings.

Vancouver came out with plenty of energy and looked like the stronger side during the opening stages. The Rise nearly opened the scoring just four minutes into the match when Abdu broke in alone on goalkeeper Sofia Manner, but Manner came up with the save before the rebound drifted wide. The home side continued to control possession and create chances, forcing Toronto into several mistakes while pressing high up the pitch.

Midfielder Sura Yekka was influential throughout the opening half, helping Vancouver recover possession and move the ball forward as the Rise dictated much of the early play.

Despite Vancouver’s strong start, Toronto made the breakthrough in the 34th minute. After Rowe had an earlier goal ruled out for offside, her shot took a deflection off Vancouver defender Jessika Cowart and found its way into the net. The goal was officially recorded as an own goal, giving the visitors a 1-0 advantage.

The Rise answered just three minutes later through a moment of individual brilliance. Anaïs Oularbi curled a direct free kick into the net in the 37th minute for Vancouver’s first goal scored directly from a free kick this season, sending the teams into halftime tied 1-1.

The second half was more evenly contested, but Toronto proved far more clinical when opportunities presented themselves.

In the 62nd minute, Manner launched a long ball from her own end that found Rowe behind the Vancouver defence. The forward finished confidently to restore Toronto‘s lead and extend her scoring streak to four straight matches.

Toronto goalkeeper Sofia Manner played a major role beyond her work between the posts. Her distribution repeatedly turned defensive situations into dangerous counterattacks, and she was credited with assists on both Toronto goals in the second half after sending long, accurate balls over Vancouver‘s midfield.

Vancouver‘s comeback hopes took another hit late in the match when Cowart was forced off with an apparent shoulder injury in the 87th minute. Having already used all of their substitutions, the Rise finished the match with just 10 players.

Toronto sealed the result in stoppage time as Kaylee Hunter drove through the Vancouver defence, beating two defenders before calmly finishing past the goalkeeper for her second goal of the season to make it 3-1.

Although Vancouver controlled large stretches of possession and generated several quality chances, the Rise were unable to convert their opportunities consistently. Toronto, meanwhile, made the most of its transition game, with Rowe continuing her outstanding run of form and Manner’s long-range distribution proving to be one of the biggest differences on the day.

The victory extends AFC Toronto‘s unbeaten streak to four matches, while Vancouver Rise FC will look to regroup after another performance where strong spells of play failed to translate into points.

Check out our favourite photos of the match below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!

VANCOUVER RISE FC v AFC TORONTO

All Photo Credit: Aly Mae

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