OTTAWA, ON (OCTOBER 18, 2026) – Vancouver Rise FC were on the wrong end of a high-scoring affair in the nation’s capital on Sunday, as they fell to a 5-2 defeat to Ottawa Rapid FC. 

The team now heads into the final match of the season with a chance to clinch the fourth and final playoff place. 

Rise FC nearly got on the scoreboard inside 30 seconds, after Jessica De Filippo closed down Rapid FC ‘keeper Melissa Dagenais and redirected her clearance back towards goal, but it looped just over the crossbar. 

The team did not let up afterwards, pressing Ottawa high up the pitch and forcing both corners and free-kicks to create chances. 

And in the 16th minute, it was a free-kick that created the opportunity for Anna Bout to score her fourth goal of the season. Mia Pante curled in a free-kick from a long way out, and Bout was able to get on the end of a loose clearance, hitting a first-time volley beautifully and floating it into the top corner to make it 1-0. 

Rise FC then made it a quick-fire double just one minute later, after Alex Lamontagne put a dangerous ball in-behind for Latifah Abdu. Abdu won the battle against her marker, and not to be outdone, fired home a powerful volley from just outside the box to make it 2-0. 

Rapid FC nearly got one back a few minutes later, after a great Jessica Wulf save on D.B. Pridham from a close angle bounced towards Min-A Lee, whose volleyed effort smashed against the crossbar. 

Wulf was back in the action in the 22nd minute after a Lee header threatened to find Melanie Forbes at the back post, but the Rise FC ‘keeper did well to push it out of danger. 

Rapid FC did manage to get a goal back in the 27th minute, after Pridham managed to sneak a shot past Wulf near the edge of the box to make it 2-1. 

Pante nearly created a great opportunity for a third six minutes later, picking up a loose ball and driving into the right side of the box, hoping to cut it back to a friendly face right in front of goal, but her cross was deflected right into the hands of Dagenais. 

De Filippo came ever so close to adding a third right before the break, popping up a pass from Josie Longhurst and snapping a half-volley that just swerved away from goal. 

Minutes later, De Filippo was denied by the post after being set in-behind by Pante, with Dagenais getting the faintest of touches to push the striker’s shot towards the woodwork. 

Rise FC would go into the break with a one-goal lead after an action-packed first half. 

The second half saw Rise FC reinstitute their high press, and Pante was dangerous right away, nearly setting up a pair of goals after breaking into the box, but Rapid FC did well to clear their lines. 

Ottawa then managed to draw back level after Florence Belzile turned in a rebound in the 53rd minute. 

Pante nearly got Rise FC back in the lead in the 67th minute, cutting inside from the right and flashing a curling effort just past the far post. 

Instead, it was Rapid FC who went ahead 3-2, with Belzile scoring her second of the match just a minute later. 

Rise FC kept pushing hard to get back on level terms as the half wore on, but Rapid FC scored a fourth goal in the 87th minute and a fifth in added time to secure all three points. 

All eyes are on October 25 now, as Rise FC could seal their playoff place at Swangard Stadium for our Fan Appreciation Match, presented by Explore Burnaby, against Calgary Wild FC on October 25. Kick-off is at 1 p.m. PT. Fans can grab tickets at vanrisefc.com/tickets. 

MATCH DETAILS

Referee: Isabelle Duclos 

Scoring Summary
16’ - VAN - Anna Bout
17’ - VAN - Latifah Abdu
27’ - OTT - D.B. Pridham (Keera Melenhorst)
53’ - OTT - Florence Belzile
68’ - OTT - Florence Belzile (Keera Melenhorst) 
87’ - OTT - Elise Bell (Melanie Forbes)
90’+2 - D.B. Pridham 

Statistics
Possession: OTT 53% - VAN #47%
Shots: OTT 15 - VAN 9
Shots on Goal: OTT 12 - VAN 4
Saves: OTT 2 - VAN 7
Fouls: OTT 12 - VAN 14
Offsides: OTT 3 - VAN 4
Corners: OTT 5 - VAN 4

Cautions
32’ - OTT - Min-A Lee
48’ - OTT - Nicola Golen 
52’ - OTT - Sadie Waite
71’ - VAN - Alex Lamontagne
79’ - VAN - Nikki Stanton

Ottawa Rapid FC
30.Melissa Dagenais; 15.Nicola Golen (13.Ngozi Sonia Okobi), 18.Olivia Scott (2.Susanne Haaland 77’), 33.Jyllissa Harris, 21.Melanie Forbes; 12.Keera Melenhorst, 20.Min-Young Jung (26.Elise Bell 77’); 7.Johanne Fridlund (10.Florence Belzile HT), 14.Min-A Lee (19.Cho Hyo-Joo HT), 11.Sadie Waite; 22.Delanie-Baie Pridham. 

Substitutes not used
1.Mollie Eriksson, 4.Hannah Chown, 6.Caitlin Crichton, 9.Jazmine Wilkinson

Vancouver Rise FC
31.Jessica Wulf (13.Morgan McAslan 44’); 25.Kaela Hansen, 6.Tori Tumeth©️, 3.Jessika Cowart, 18.Yuka Okamoto (26.Anais Oularbi 83’); 8.Alex Lamontagne, 24.Josie Longhurst (7.Nikki Stanton 69’), 14.Anna Bout, 22.Mia Pante; 11.Jessica De Filippo; 99.Latifah Abdu

Substitutes

2.Shannon Woeller, 4.Sura Yekka, 10.Camila Reyes, 12.Jaylyn Wright,  17.Audrey François