Marie-Yasmine Alidou secured the decisive goal from a penalty kick in the 55th minute, leading the Montreal Roses to a 2-0 victory over AFC Toronto in a Northern Super League match held on Sunday. Elyse Bennett contributed to the win with her ninth goal of the season, providing additional cushion for the Roses, who are currently in second place with a record of 9-4-3. The team, now guided by interim head coach Maryse Bard-Martel, displayed a strong performance.
Despite a close call when Shelina Zadorsky of third-place Toronto seemingly scored in the 68th minute, the goal was disallowed due to an offside ruling. Roses’ goalkeeper Anna Karpenko showcased her skills by successfully defending against 20 shots, nine of which were on target, securing a clean sheet for her team.
Toronto’s goalkeeper, Sabrina D’Angelo, faced seven shots during the match, with five of them being on target. The Roses’ victory comes after the recent dismissal of head coach Robert Rositoiu, following a surprising 1-0 defeat to semi-pro side Simcoe County in the W Canadian Championship. This game marked the Roses’ first match since Rositoiu’s departure, as they continue to strive for success in the league.