Calgary, April 25, 2026 – The Montréal Roses opened their 2026 Northern Super League season with a convincing 2-0 win over Calgary Wild FC on Saturday night at McMahon Stadium. Both goals were scored by Elyse Bennett, who delivered an outstanding first match in Roses colours.
The American forward, who joined Montreal this offseason from the NWSL's Orlando Pride, opened the scoring in the 37th minute and added her second in the early minutes of the second half. Bennett had already signalled her intent in the 8th minute, when her shot rattled the crossbar.
Between the posts, Anna Karpenko turned in a solid performance to preserve the clean sheet. The Canadian goalkeeper made several key saves, particularly in the opening minutes and throughout a first half in which Calgary tried to impose its tempo.
Control of the match gradually shifted in Montreal’s favour as the night went on. With 53% possession, 211 completed passes, and notable defensive discipline, the Roses smothered Calgary's offensive attempts in the second half.
MATCH STATISTICS
- Possession: Calgary 47% – Montreal 53%
- Shots: 8 for Calgary (5 on target) – 10 for Montreal (6 on target)
- Completed passes: 168 for Calgary – 211 for Montreal
- Clearances: 9 for Calgary – 18 for Montreal
- Yellow cards: 1 for Calgary – 1 for Montreal
Venue: McMahon Stadium
Referee: Anne-Marie Canuel
Assistant Referees: Melissa Snedden, Heather Lloyd
"It's a great way to start the season. We take away the players' effort, the collective solidity, and the energy we brought from the opening whistle. We always want to be a team that looks to score the next goal, no matter the score, and I'm proud of how the players closed out this match. There is still a lot of work to do, and that's the foundation we want to keep building on." - Robert Rositoiu, Montréal Roses Head Coach
The Montréal Roses play their first home match of the 2026 season on Saturday, May 2 at 7:00 p.m. at Stade Boréale, against Vancouver Rise FC, the defending Northern Super League champions.