Ottawa Rapid FC wrapped up their regular season with a 2-1 victory over Halifax Tides FC on Wednesday night at Wanderers Grounds. The result secures Ottawa’s position among the league’s top three sides, keeping the race for second place alive as the league’s inaugural regular season nears its conclusion.

For Halifax, the evening marked the final match of their debut NSL campaign; one that saw steady progress, flashes of attacking promise, and passionate home support from start to finish.

Ottawa Go Up Two in the First Half
After a cagey opening stretch, Ottawa found their breakthrough in the 30th minute. Johanne Fridlund scored her first NSL goal in style, meeting a low cross in stride and sending a powerful right-footed shot off the underside of the bar and in to make it 1-0.

The visitors doubled their advantage just before halftime when a misdirected clearance led to an unfortunate own goal for Halifax, giving Ottawa a 2-0 lead heading into the break.

Halifax Fight Back Late
Halifax came out rejuvenated in the second half, pushing forward with urgency in front of the home crowd. Their persistence paid off in the 73rd minute when Megumi Nakamura timed her run perfectly to meet a through ball and fire a left-footed shot past the Ottawa keeper, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

The hosts continued to press for an equalizer in the closing minutes, but Ottawa’s disciplined defensive line held firm to see out the victory; their eleventh of the season.

Match Stats

• Possession: Ottawa controlled 57% of the ball and dictated tempo for long stretches.
• Total Shots: The visitors led 17 to 12 in attempts on goal.
• Passing Accuracy: Ottawa completed 77% of passes compared to Halifax’s 68%.

Looking Ahead
Ottawa (11-8-6, 39 points) finish their regular season in strong form and now await the result of Sunday’s match between AFC Toronto and Montréal Roses FC to determine final playoff seeding. Halifax (3-15-7, 16 points) close out their inaugural NSL season with a performance full of fight and spirit, earning admiration for their steady improvement and resilience throughout the year.

For full match statistics, lineups, and a detailed play-by-play, visit the official NSL match page.