Vancouver Rise win 2-1 over Ottawa Rapid FC in first leg of Northern Super League semifinal

Latifah Abdu scored twice in the first half to lead the Vancouver Rise to a 2-1 win over Ottawa Rapid FC in the first leg of a Northern Super League semifinal on Tuesday.

Ottawa's Delaney Pridham halved the deficit in the second half at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, B.C., but the Rise will take a one-goal lead into the next leg of the playoff series.

Vancouver secured the final playoff spot in the NSL after a draw against Halifax Tides FC on Sept. 27.

The second leg of the semifinal between the Rise and Rapid is Saturday at Ottawa's TD Place.

2 goals from Abdu gives Rise opening semifinal leg 1 match victory over Rapid FC

The other semifinal features league-leading AFC Toronto and the Montreal Roses. 

Toronto takes a 2-0 lead from the first leg of that series into Sunday's second match. 

Aggregate winners of the semifinals advance to the single championship match Nov. 15 at Toronto's BMO Field, where the first NSL champion will be crowned.