There couldn’t have been a better start for the Roses. Three wins from three, no goals conceded, and 7 goals scored put the Roses atop the table. That included two big wins vs the 2025 NSL Finalists Toronto and Vancouver. Karpenko shut down Toronto at BMO (again) and new star signing Bennett scored the winner in the dying moments of the match. The Rise game at the 2026 Stade Boreale Home Opener was a treat to watch, in particular. Rositoiu’s change in formation to a 3-4-2-1 was paying off on and off the ball.
After the flying start, came the first dip in form. Most concerningly, the Roses failed to win any of the next three home matches, and tied a truly terrible Calgary Wild side twice in that span of games. Fans who were expecting more after the start to the season began to have doubts. The Roses dropped to second place after week 6. However, they managed to turn the corner and record three straight wins starting with the emphatic 5-1 win over Vancouver at home. You’ll remember Badu’s hattrick and absolute worldie of a goal from that one.
The home success didn’t last long, as the Roses were shut out in two more defeats at Stade Boreale against Toronto (0:2) and Halifax (0:1).
Then came the defining moment of the season. A Canadian W Championship quarter-final elimination vs OPL Champions Simcoe County. They lost that match 1:0 after conceding an early goal off a set piece. Fans were quite critical after this match, openly chastising players for a lack of effort. The Front Office seemed to agree that something had to be done…
In steps Maryse Bard-Martel. The young coach and former goalkeeper had coaching experience in the NCAA and the YNT before becoming the lead Assistant Coach for the Roses last season. She was named interim head coach after Rositoiu was relieved of his duties.
“Robert has left an indelible mark on this club by guiding us through our foundational first steps. He established a competitive culture and played a pivotal role in the development of many of our players. Relieving a coach of their duties is always an agonizing decision, and this choice was made with the upmost respect for Robert as both a person and a professional. However, we firmly believe a new spark is required to propel the club through the remainder of the season and take the next step in our growth as a franchise. On behalf of the entire organization, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Robert and wish him every success in his future endeavors.”
Just over two weeks later, fans broke the NSL attendance record at the first NSL match played at Stade Saputo. Over 17,000 fans were on site to watch Montreal-born and raised defender Anne-Valérie Seto score the winner over Halifax. What a moment for the city and for the club!
Bard-Martel can brag that the Roses were undefeated in her tenure, but realistically, there were a lot of ties in there, too. In the closing weeks, the Roses missed the chance to clinch the Shield on multiple occasions. The players, however, saw the funny side, with Tanya Boychuk joking that they were “waiting to win it at home”.
In an important moment for the local soccer community, the Roses finally won the league title in a Shield-deciding matchup with the Ottawa Rapid. The Quebec-heavy squad proudly lifted the Shield in front of their home fans in Laval, in a game that showcased the best of what Quebec Soccer has to offer.
Next up is Vancouver in the semifinals, and it won’t be easy. My full preview of both ties lands later this week.