The Vancouver Rise vs Calgary wild showdown at Swangard ended in a 1-1 draw. They looked to keep the momentum going after beating the Halifax Tides on Wednesday. This was the rematch of the first ever NSL game that was played at BC Place in April. That was a 1-0 win for Vancouver thanks to Quinn’s first half penalty kick.
It was a bright and sunny day in Vancouver, a sign summer was coming. The bright day matched the Rise’s brightly coloured kits.
While the day was bright, the players on both sides tried to shine brighter. In the end, this match was a tight…like a playoff game.
First half: Tight battle
Last game, Vancouver went down early. That had been a theme over the last few games. But the Rise reversed that trend.
Holly Ward’s speed and agility with the Rise earned her a Canada national team call up for the upcoming window. She showed why in the 12th minute. Ward sped past the defenders and made a smart and patient play to find Mariah Lee in the box. Lee made no mistake with the shot.
Unfortunately, the lead only lasted five minutes. Calgary’s Kahli Johnson did not much time and space. She managed to turn past the Rise defenders and score a banger.
The Rise didn’t let that get to them. They continued to push and Ward still making life difficult for Wild defender Grace Stordy. Calgary goalkeeper Stephanie Bukovec was also sharp between the sticks. She made a huge point blank save off Lisa Pechersky after another great chance created by Ward. This is probably the NSL’s save of the year so far.
Ward, Pechersky, Lee and Samantha Chang were great storming Wild’s box and creating chances. Defensively, they’ve been mostly solid aside from the goal. The chances Calgary created after their goal ended up going high over Morgan McAslan’s net. (Maybe they all wanted to recreate Johnson’s goal?) However, the Rise’s transitions were swift but other than Ward and Lee, there weren’t too many players in the box.
It was an evenly matched battle between the Rise and Wild. Both teams were probably wanting more from both their attacks though.
Second half:
Ward wasted no time making another big run from the left wing. However, other than her, the build-up were prone to giveaways and making the Wild go on the transition.
Both teams were cautious and waiting for the right moment. Both teams were also forcing each other to make mistakes.
In the 65th minute, the Wild nearly forced a costly one. Jasmyne Spencer gave the ball right to Serita Thurton. McAslan was way out of position but somehow managed to make the save, preventing a disaster. As the half went on, Calgary were pressing. Once again, there was not enough urgency and numbers forward for Vancouver on their transitions.
In the 87th minute, there was a wild sequence. After a Rise corner was cleared, 17-year-old Taegan Stewart ran past the defenders, ended up beating McAslan but not the post. After Vancouver franticaly cleared the ball, Ward did what she did best: Used her speed to evade the Calgary defenders. But she too, hit the post. If you blinked once during that, it felt like you missed it.
It was fitting that a really tight match ended in a draw. For the Wild, they probably felt like they should’ve won. For the Rise, it was clear the attack still needed more spark.
Stat of the match
Vancouver’s defence managed to hold the fort well as they had 29 clearances. Calgary only had seven.
Wrap-up
The Rise head to Montreal to play the Roses on Saturday, June 7. Have some breakfast and coffee with this one. With the EPL season ending this week, there is still some morning soccer to watch. Kickoff for that game is at 10:00 AM Pacific.
