"What a game" is a statement reserved for those matches that leave even the fans feeling winded and exhilarated by the final whistle. And today's July 4th match for the Roses versus the Rise was exactly that type of game for Roses fans.

The first half showed what the Roses can do when they are almost at full strength, with head coach Robert Rositoiu back from his coaching course. Notably, the team is still missing Lisa Pechersky, but this was a game where they managed beautifully without her.

The first half was marked by a close matchup against the Rise, with both teams having to contend with the heat that necessitated hydration breaks throughout the game. Regardless of the sweltering conditions, both teams came out fighting, with Noémi Paquin and Evelyn Badu earning defensive fouls in the first six minutes, followed by Anaïs Oularbi from the Rise.

While the Roses had tight passing and absolutely aggressive play from Evelyn Badu and Elyse Bennett, shots on target were still a challenge. For the first half, they had an accurate shooting percentage of 33% versus the Rise's 40%. The Rise were missing members of their own team due to injuries, but they still had Jessica De Filippo, who was absolutely giving the Roses a run for their money.

That wasn't enough to stop Evelyn Badu, who was a major talking point for the entire game, earning the first goal in the 18th minute. It was a theme that would remain consistent throughout the match, as Badu proved to be an absolute force to be reckoned with.

Badu's aggressive play was mirrored by her peers, with Charlotte Bilbault picking up a yellow card in the 20th minute.

For the Rise, Jessica De Filippo was not willing to hold back, and she countered with a goal in the 42nd minute, leaving the two teams level at half-time.

Following half time, the Roses had their eyes on the prize as Elyse Bennett scored in the 53rd minute, and from there the Roses just kept going. Throughout the second half, there was accurate passing and a tight network of footwork to move the ball around. Midfielders Charlotte Bilbault, Tanya Boychuk, Hailey Whitaker, Noémi Paquin, and of course Evelyn Badu worked in tandem to find openings for each other and keep the ball moving.

On the defensive side, Mégane Sauvé, Anne-Valérie Seto, Lucy Cappadona, and Anna Karpenko proved difficult to move past and handily kept the Rise from adding further goals. An incredible moment came when Karpenko turned a near mistake into an opportunity, stopping the ball from crossing the line while simultaneously being fouled by Anna Bout.

But the focus was undoubtedly on Montréal's attacking line. Following Evelyn Badu's first-half opener, Elyse Bennett made it 2-1. At that point it seemed as though we might have a return to the back-and-forth exchanges between these two sides, but Badu struck again in the 67th minute with an incredible goal, surgically placing the ball into the back of the net.

The momentum was not lost as Tanya Boychuk followed up with a goal in the 70th minute to make it 4-1, and then, to bring things full circle, Badu completed her hat-trick to make the final score 5-1.

This is an upswing for the Roses, who had endured four difficult games prior, including a loss to the Rise on 30 May 2026. The game also highlighted the notable tension between the two sides — with the Roses coming out ready for a fight, including a moment where Elyse Bennett harried Rise goalkeeper Kirstin Tynan, requiring the referee to intervene quickly. It is also worth noting that the Rise were not at full strength, with several players out through injury, and they suffered the loss of Jessica De Filippo in the 61st minute — which likely marked the moment when the outcome became clear.

For the Rise, this was a sore day, but for the Roses it felt as though everything was in full bloom. This win cements their current standing in second place, right on the heels of Ottawa Rapid FC. That said, in football things can change in a moment, so the question remains whether the Roses will break their recent run of losses and draws, or keep finding ways to make life difficult for their opponents.