Vancouver, November 1, 2026 - Following a dominant performance at Swangard Stadium, the Montréal Roses earned a convincing 3-0 victory over Vancouver Rise FC in Leg 1 of the Northern Super League semi-finals. Goals from Elyse Bennett, Mimi Alidou, and Lisa Pechersky put the regular season winners in a commanding position ahead of next Sunday’s decisive second leg in front of their home fans at Stade Boréale.
The Roses set the tempo early in the match. Bennett broke the deadlock in the 11th minute to give Montreal an early advantage. Capitalizing on their momentum, the visitors maintained high offensive pressure, allowing Alidou to double the lead in the 30th minute.
Montreal maintained total control after the interval, dictating play through midfield. Coming on as a substitute, Pechersky made an immediate impact after entering in the 63rd minute, striking in the 72nd to make it 3-0. The Montreal backline and goalkeeper Gabrielle Lambert stood tall through late pressure in stoppage time to register their third clean sheet in their last four matches.
With this victory, the Roses extended their impressive unbeaten run to 11 consecutive matches without a loss, setting a new all-time Northern Super League record.
MATCH STATISTICS
- Possession: Montreal 56% – Vancouver 44%
- Shots: 18 for Montreal (5 on target) – 6 for Vancouver (1 on target)
- Completed passes: 505 for Montreal – 389 for Vancouver
- Corners: 4 for Montreal – 4 for Vancouver
Venue: Swangard Stadium
Referee: Isabelle Duclos
Assistant Referees: Sean Hornsby, Paulin-Junior Vanié
"The squad delivered a very mature performance tonight on the road. Coming here, scoring three goals, and keeping a clean sheet required incredible discipline and a complete collective effort. We knew how critical this first leg was, but the job is only half done. We can’t wait to get back in front of our supporters at Stade Boréale next Sunday to finish the job." — Maryse Bard-Martel, Montréal Roses Interim Head Coach
The Montréal Roses will return home for the decisive second leg of the semi-finals on Sunday, November 8 at 4:00 p.m. ET at Stade Boréale. Tickets are available at en.rosesmtl.ca/tickets.