Montreal Roses kick off NSL campaign with shutout win in Calgary

Montreal Roses FC.

The Montreal Roses kicked off their NSL 2026 campaign with a 2-0 win over Calgary Wild FC on Saturday evening at McMahon Stadium.

Elyse Bennett scored both goals for the Montreal side on her debut in her new kit. The American forward found the net in the 37th and 49th minutes of the match.

Bennett, who had struck the crossbar in the ninth minute, scored her first goal by heading home a pass from Chloe Minas. She then finished off a fine pass from Mégane Sauvé for her second goal, in the snow.

Goalkeeper Anna Karpenko saved all five shots she faced to secure the clean sheet. Her opposite number, Molly Race, made four saves.

“It’s a great way to start the season. We’ll take away the players’ efforts, the team’s solidity, and the energy we brought from the first whistle,” said the Roses’ head coach, Robert Rositoiu.

“We always want to be a team that’s looking to score the next goal, no matter the score, and I’m proud of the way the players finished this match. There is still a lot of work to be done, and this is the foundation on which we want to continue building.”

The Roses finished the match with 53 per cent possession and 211 successful passes, stifling Wild FC’s attacks in the second half.

The Montreal club will play its first home match on May 2 at Stade Boréale, when it hosts Vancouver’s Rise FC, who won the Northern Super League title last year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 25, 2026.