New head coach impressed as Wild FC battles hard but falls to Vancouver in Wild West thriller

Making her first appearance with the club, Wild FC head coach Leah Blayney watched from the stands as the home side put on a spirited display.

Fans were treated to an entertaining Wild West Match on Saturday as Calgary Wild FC produced one of its strongest performances of the season before Vancouver Rise FC scored twice late to earn a 4-2 victory at McMahon Stadium. The clubs, meeting for the first time this season, traded goals throughout an entertaining first half, but it was Vancouver who capitalized on two opportunities late in the match to seal the victory. “We talked to the group that your behaviours are reflective of the team you want to be.

They (Vancouver) are quite a physical team and tonight showed we can match that,” said Wild FC interim head coach Sinead McSharry. “I thought it also showed we had a desire and hunger to get the ball back. It was chippy ...

The team got very animated after the first foul. They wanted to bring their A game and I thought they did. I like that in a player.”

Vancouver held off the early attack by the home team to strike at the seventh-minute mark when Mia Pante broke down the left flank and found the back of the net. Calgary responded just eight minutes later after earning a penalty kick when a Vancouver defender was called for a handball on a Jorian Baucom attempt. Captain Meggie Dougherty Howard converted the attempt in the 15th minute to level the match at 1-1.

The Wild continued to apply pressure with sharp passing and sustained possession, taking the lead in the 25th minute. Baucom finished off a dangerous attacking sequence with a touch at the goal line. Vancouver answered before halftime when Mariah Lee converted a penalty kick in the 37th minute, sending the teams into the break tied 2-2.

‘We will get better’ “We told our players to come out with effort and intensity which enabled us to get on the ball early,” McSharry said. “I thought we were unlucky not to capitalize on a couple of opportunities. We just have to be more clinical, but I’m pleased with how we came out both halves.

It was a better reflection of who we are as a team.” The match remained deadlocked through much of the second half before Vancouver regained the lead in the 85th minute. Midfielder Josie Longhurst made an immediate impact after coming off the bench, scoring just five minutes into her appearance.

Maithe Lopez sealed the result in stoppage time. Despite the loss, Calgary produced one of its most complete offensive performances of the season, creating quality chances and matching Vancouver through much of an entertaining contest. Making her first appearance with the club, Wild FC head coach Leah Blayney watched from the stands after arriving in Canada on Wednesday.

Blayney most recently served as an assistant coach with Japan’s national women’s team, and previously relocated to Europe to accompany players overseas. “I think it helps having a new person in the building to impress and show what they are capable of,” McSharry said. “Leah is going to be really good for the group.

She will continue to demand those high standards for what we want to look like. We will get better. There are small pieces of progress we can be happy about and for whatever reason there are small moments that we seem to get punished for.”

While the result wasn’t what the club had hoped for, Blayney was encouraged by what she saw on and off the pitch. “I’m excited to be here and to come to the environment. Seeing the work the staff has been doing has been really impressive,” said Blayney, who takes over a club with a 0-8-2 record.

“The team around the team are exceptional humans doing everything they can to prepare this group, so I’m excited to come in and add value in that space. “Losing streaks are a part of professional football and a part of professional football is developing a resilience when things aren’t going your way. Anything built properly takes time for things to happen.

Things will take time to change. Players will need to learn, and a new staff will need to learn how to work together. There has to be patience to take time to build something good.”

Wild FC will be back on the pitch and hungry for their first victory of 2026 when they host Montreal Roses FC on Friday (7 p.m.).