Calgary Wild FC delivered a spirited performance in their Northern Super League season opener on Saturday, despite falling 2-0 to Montreal Roses FC in a match marked by high winds, occasional snow, and frigid temperatures at McMahon Stadium.
Strong First-Half Display
Defender Grace Stordy expressed pride in the team's effort. 'I don't think the score writes the story of this game. We came out really strong in the first half. That was a little glimpse of everything we've been working on in the preseason. I'm really proud of this team's performance,' she said.
The home side controlled possession for most of the match, taking six shots with three on target. Interim head coach Sinead McSharry noted, 'In the first half, I was really impressed with the opportunities we had. We hit the crossbar a few times. We got into the areas we were talking about getting into. It is unfortunate we couldn't capitalize, but the first half was a demonstration of what we are capable of.'
Montreal Strikes First
Montreal's Elyse Bennett broke the deadlock in the 37th minute, heading a pass from Lisa Pechersky past Wild FC goalkeeper Molly Race. The blustery conditions briefly eased at halftime, but Bennett struck again early in the second half, finishing inside the box in the 49th minute.
McSharry acknowledged the second-half struggles: 'In the second half, things depleted in different ways. They started being more direct, and we didn't get enough pressure on the ball. That resulted in our back line turning and running, but there were lots of pieces tonight that were really good.'
Building for the Future
Despite the loss, Calgary displayed discipline and determination. Stordy emphasized the team's resilience: 'The chances they got were the chances they scored, but I don't think we gave them much else. This team has a goldfish mentality. We can take the positive from this – we were all over them, and I have no doubt tomorrow this team will turn the other cheek and be ready to go at it again.'
McSharry added, 'We need to keep working on finishing the opportunities we have. Moving forward, the team can take this game and believe in what they are doing. It was a completely different team today. We just need that killer final shot.'
Wild FC will look to build on this encouraging showing as they prepare for their next test in the Northern Super League season.
