Saturday, June 13 at 4:00 p.m. at York Lions Stadium in Toronto · Live on RDS Info, ESPN+, TSN+ and NSL.ca

Two weeks after their first loss of the season, the Roses are back at it. Montreal travels to Toronto on Saturday still holding first place in the NSL at 4-1-1, for a second meeting of the season between the two clubs. The Roses took the first one, 1-0 on Toronto soil back on May 10.

The May 30 match at Stade Boréale had started according to plan. Elyse Bennett opened the scoring in the 8th minute - her fifth goal of the season, moving her into sole possession of the league lead - before Vancouver answered eight minutes later. Chloe Minas hit the post twice, the Rise went ahead after the break, and although Noémi Paquin pulled the Roses level in the 81st, a late goal sealed a 3-2 defeat. "We have two weeks before the next match," Robert Rositoiu said afterwards. "We'll analyze, we'll work on what didn't go right, and we'll show up ready in Toronto."

The bigger picture still looks good. The Roses sit top of the table through six matches. Bennett leads the NSL with five goals, Tanya Boychuk is second with four, and Lisa Pechersky tops the league with four assists. In goal, Anna Karpenko has 19 saves and three clean sheets.

The opponent

AFC Toronto (2-2-1) arrives with seven points and momentum, coming off a 4-0 win in its last outing. The recent history between these clubs adds an edge. Toronto finished first in the 2025 regular season with the league's best attack, knocked the Roses out in the semifinals, then fell to Vancouver in the championship game. Marko Milanović, named coach of the year in his first season, is still at the helm.

On the pitch, the danger has a name: Esther Okoronkwo. The Nigerian international -  the NSL's assist leader in 2025 and an African champion with Nigeria last summer - scored a hat trick at Stade Boréale in November's semifinal. An injury kept her out of the first meeting with Montreal, though, and her status for Saturday has yet to be confirmed. With or without her, young Calgary-born forward Kaylee Hunter is a threat in her own right.

On May 10, against a Toronto side missing Okoronkwo, the Roses found the answers. Karpenko was busy and brilliant with seven saves, the bench changed the rhythm of the game, and Bennett settled it in the 88th minute. That match also marked Evelyn Badu's first minutes in a Roses uniform.

What to watch

Toronto's high press smothered Montreal's build-up for a full half in May. How cleanly Charlotte Bilbault, Pechersky and Minas play out from the back will set the tone. Behind them, keeping Hunter quiet is the priority for a defence chasing a fourth clean sheet. And up front, Bennett, who scored the winner in the first meeting, and Boychuk will look to get the machine going again.

Broadcast

Saturday, June 13, 2026 · 4:00 p.m. ET · York Lions Stadium, Toronto Live on RDS Info, ESPN+, TSN+ and NSL.ca.

Next home match: Saturday, June 21 at 2:00 p.m. against Calgary Wild FC, the first of four straight at Stade Boréale. Tickets are on sale now from $28 at en.rosesmtl.ca/tickets.