Montreal Roses knock off Vancouver Rise 3-0 in NSL semifinal opener

Montreal Roses secured a 3-0 victory over Vancouver Rise in the NSL semifinal opener, marking their pursuit of the prestigious Diana B. Matheson Cup. The Roses, having won the Supporters' Shield for finishing first in the Northern Super League's regular season, displayed their ambitions early in the match. Elyse Bennett put the Roses ahead in the 12th minute, and Marie-Yasmine Alidou extended their lead 19 minutes later.

Lisa Pechersky added to the Roses' tally in the 73rd minute, coming on as a substitute. Vancouver's goalkeeper Morgan McAslan faced 18 shots, five of which were on target, while Rose's goalkeeper Gabrielle Lambert had six shots, one of which was on target. The Roses dominated possession with 56 percent of the game, taking four of the eight corners.

Vancouver received the only three yellow cards of the match. The Roses and Rise will meet again on Sunday at Stade Boreale in Montreal, with the winner advancing to face the AFC Toronto-Ottawa Rapid semifinal.