NSL Week 20 results: No teams giving an inch as Montréal survive five-goal thriller
If Week 20 proved anything, it is that the NSL table is becoming a very uncomfortable place to sit in. With the postseason picture tightening, there was no room for complacency this weekend. Montréal...
As NSL Week 20 unfolded, the story became clear: no team was willing to concede an inch. Montréal Roses FC held onto the top spot after enduring a five-goal thriller in Ottawa, while Halifax Tides FC secured all three points with an outrageous finish against Vancouver Rise FC. AFC Toronto and Calgary Wild FC put on a goalkeeper masterclass at BMO Field.
The week was more than just a series of results for Vancouver Rise FC. After a 1-0 loss to Halifax Tides FC, the club announced that head coach Anja Heiner-Møller would be leaving the team. Heiner-Møller, who led the club through its inaugural season in 2025 and won their first-ever championship, departed after an 18-18-8 regular season record. She was replaced as head coach with interim coach Iain Darbyshire, while Katie Collar and Erin McNulty remained on the coaching staff.
Three games, two road wins, eight goals, and one goal from the halfway line later, Vancouver found itself in a precarious position. The NSL's postseason picture was tightening, and complacency had no place. Halifax Stunned Vancouver at the Death, a 1-0 victory that secured their position in the top four. Meanwhile, Montréal Roses FC survived a five-goal thriller against Ottawa Rapid FC, with a late winner securing a 3-2 victory and keeping them at the top of the standings. The NSL was heating up just at the wrong time, with no team willing to take anything for granted.
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