The Montréal Roses delivered the response they were looking for on Wednesday night, beating Vancouver Rise FC 4-3 at Swangard Stadium. Four different scorers, two first career NSL goals, and a debut for Amandine Pierre-Louis just hours after her signing was announced: the Roses (8-3-3, 27 points) had themselves a night. They also remain unbeaten on the road this season (5-0-2). Next up: Friday, August 7, at home against Halifax Tides FC. Tickets are on sale from $28 at en.rosesmtl.ca/tickets.
It hardly started to script. Maithé Lopez put Vancouver ahead in the 3rd minute before Lisa Pechersky answered in the 14th - scoring in her first match back in Vancouver, where she lifted the title with the Rise in 2025. Anais Oularbi restored the hosts’ lead in the 17th, and Elyse Bennett levelled it in the 39th. With her eight goal of the season, Bennett moves to the top of the NSL scoring chart, tied with Ottawa’s Delaney Baie Pridham.
The Roses turned the match in the second half, with two goals in four minutes - and two firsts. In the 54th, Mimi Alidou scored her first NSL goal, in just her second match with Montreal. In the 58th, Anne-Valérie Seto followed with the first goal of her NSL career. From 2-2, it was suddenly 4-2, and Vancouver never fully recovered.
The night also featured Amandine Pierre-Louis’ first appearance, off the bench in the 62nd minute. Announced in the morning, the Montreal winger was playing her first minutes with the Roses by evening.
Latifah Abdu pulled one back in the 89th minute, but the Roses held on to the final whistle at the end of a wide-open match in which the two sides combined for 37 shots.
MATCH STATISTICS
- Possession: Montreal 48% – Vancouver 52%
- Shots: 18 for Montreal (7 on target) – 19 for Vancouver (6 on target)
- Completed passes: 397 for Montreal – 428 for Vancouver
- Corners: 4 for Montreal – 5 for Vancouver
- Yellow cards: 1 for Montreal – 1 for Vancouver
Venue: Swangard Stadium
Referee: Renzo Villanueva
Assistant Referees: Stéphanie Fortin, Heather Lloyd
"Coming from behind twice, on the road, against the reigning champions, that says a lot about this group. These are three important points against a quality side. We’re now already shifting our attention to the next match. Next Friday, we’ll be back in front of our fans, and we want to put on a good performance for them." — Robert Rositoiu, Montréal Roses Head Coach.
The Roses return to their supporters on Friday, August 7, when they host Halifax Tides FC at Stade Boréale. Tickets for upcoming home matches are on sale now from $28 at en.rosesmtl.ca/tickets.