Marie-Yasmine Alidou netted the decisive goal from a penalty kick in the 55th minute, propelling the Montreal Roses to a 2-0 victory over AFC Toronto in Northern Super League action on Sunday. Elyse Bennett secured the win with her ninth goal of the season, providing a cushion for the Roses, who currently hold the second spot with a record of 9-4-3. The team was under the guidance of interim head coach Maryse Bard-Martel for the first time.
Although Shelina Zadorsky seemed to equalize for Toronto in the 68th minute, her goal was disallowed due to an offside infringement. Roses’ goalkeeper Anna Karpenko put on a stellar performance, facing 20 shots, including nine on target, to maintain a clean sheet.
On the other side, Toronto’s goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo faced seven shots, with five on target. The match marked the Roses’ first game following the dismissal of head coach Robert Rositoiu, who was let go after the team suffered a surprising 1-0 defeat to semi-professional side Simcoe County in the W Canadian Championship.
Overall, the Roses displayed a strong performance, securing a crucial win under new leadership and bouncing back from recent setbacks.