In front of a conquered crowd, the Montreal roses came from the back to win 2-1 against the fast Ottawa, on Saturday, on the occasion of the very first home game in their history.
During a match played at closed counters at the Boréale stadium, the roses really found their pace in the second half. Latifah Abdu created equality in the second half and Tanya Boychuk scored the winning goal after the hour of play, allowing the roses to keep their perfect sheet after three games this season in the Northern Super League (SLN).
Carried by the songs of the crowd, the Vuvuzelas and the cries of encouragement, the Montreal training dominated the possession of the ball at 60% to maintain the first row of the classification of the SLN.
Anna Karpenko was back in front of the Roses Cage after missing the last match because of her diploma presentation at Harvard University. She gave in on the only shot on the fast.
Delaney Baie Pridham opened the brand for visitors, who won their first game of the season. The Mollie goalkeeper Eriksson succeeded in three stops in defeat.
The roses paid tribute to several former players, coaches and referees who have marked the history of the Quebec and Canadian female soccer, some of which have borne the colors of the deceases of Laval or Canada on the international scene. Josée Bélanger, Sonia Denoncourt and Andréanne Gagné were notably from the group.
The roses will resume the action next Saturday by welcoming the Halifax Tides.
Dominant
The roses obtained their first real opportunities to score around the 17th minute of play. Whitaker tried a center at the second post, but no teammates were able to resume the ball.
The local favorites continued to put pressure, obtaining three corner kicks in a few moments, without however enjoying it.
Boychuk finally obtained the first shot from the match, forcing Eriksson to signal, in the 29th minute, jumping to block the throw. A few moments later, Whitaker tried a long strike that Eriksson had no difficulty in grasping.
Pridham, however, opened the brand for the fast in the 39th minute, following a turnaround by Jodi Smith, who was trying to give Lucy Cappadona. Pridham anticipated the short pass, intercepted it and surprised Karpenko, who was thwarted by a weak shot on her right when she was deported to her left.
Upon returning from the intermission, Mégane Sauvé obtained an excellent chance of scoring in the first minute at the entrance to the penalty area. His strike came close to the crossbar. A few minutes later, Noémi Paquin set off a shot that Eriksson controlled.
By buzzing, the roses finally deceived Eriksson’s vigilance in the 59th minute. As she did against the Rise de Vancouver last week, Abdu made a powerful strike in the upper part of the net which gave no chance to the Ottavian goalkeeper.
Then, in the 69th minute, Whitaker made a perfect delivery to Boychuk in the center of the penalty area and the latter did not miss her luck. It was a second goal this season for her too.
Sauvé could have doubled the advance of its own a few moments later, when she received the ball in the heart of the surface, but she completely missed her shot.
Paquin threatened again in the 89th minute, but Eriksson again closed the door.
