Wild FC Rebounds
Calgary Wild FC Earns Crucial 1-1 Draw Against Montreal, Breaking Three-Match Goal Drought
Anonymous
Calgary Wild FC earned their second point of the 2026 Northern Super League season with a 1-1 draw against Montreal Roses FC at Stade Boréale on June 21, according to Calgary Herald. The match was delayed 40 minutes due to severe weather before kickoff, but Calgary made an immediate statement — forward Kahli Johnson broke a 270-minute goal drought in just the 10th minute.
Montreal midfielder Evelyn Badu equalized in the 29th minute with a strike from distance, and the score stayed 1-1 through the final whistle. The result left Calgary at 0-5-2 with 2 points on the season, but interim head coach Sinead McSharry called it "probably our most complete performance from start to finish," per Calgary Sun.
Kahli Johnson Ends Calgary's Three-Match Scoring Drought
Calgary had been shut out in three straight matches before this game, including a 4-0 loss to AFC Toronto and a 2-0 defeat to Halifax Tides FC, according to Calgary Herald. Johnson's 10th-minute goal changed that. The buildup involved captain Meggie Dougherty Howard, Serita Thurton, and the returning Mya Jones.
Dougherty Howard described the moment simply. "It was a big moment for us to see the ball go in the back of the net," she said, per Cold Lake Sun. "We've been creating chances, but it felt really good to see one go in." Jones, returning from injury, created space on the wing that Calgary had lacked in recent weeks.
Badu Strikes Back for Montreal Before Halftime
Montreal's equalizer came in the 29th minute. Ghanaian international Evelyn Badu, back from international duty with Ghana's Black Queens, hit a long-range shot to level the score, according to Pincher Creek Echo. Montreal controlled 51% of possession across the match but could not find a second goal.
Goalkeeper Katelin Talbert kept Calgary in the match during the final 15 minutes as Montreal pushed hard for a winner, per Calgary Herald. Calgary's counter-attacking approach frustrated the hosts. Despite Montreal's territorial edge, the Wild held firm through rapid late substitutions, including replacing Dougherty Howard in the 62nd minute.
McSharry Credits Returning Injured Players for Tactical Shift
Interim coach Sinead McSharry said the return of injured starters gave Calgary new options. She noted the team was able to "exploit the space behind" Montreal's high defensive line, per Prince George Post. McSharry added the squad "stayed together throughout the match, even when mistakes happened."
McSharry has led Calgary on an interim basis throughout the 2026 preseason and regular season. Management has publicly focused on "progress over perfection" as the expansion club builds its roster, according to Fairview Post. The reintegration of players like Mya Jones suggests Calgary may move away from their purely defensive approach going forward.
Montreal Stays Second as Calgary Eyes First Win June 27
The draw kept Montreal at 15 points and second place in the NSL standings, one point behind league-leading Ottawa Rapid, according to PR Record Gazette. Calgary remains last with 2 points, but the gap to fifth-place AFC Toronto — which holds 8 points — is still within reach with half the season remaining.
Calgary returns home to McMahon Stadium on June 27 for "Multicultural Day" against Halifax Tides FC. That match is the Wild's best shot at earning their first-ever professional win, per County Market. The Canadian Press noted that both Sunday NSL matches ended 1-1, suggesting the talent gap across the league is narrowing as the season matures.
Sentiment
NeutralNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
8
Articles
7
Reach
8
A
AnonymousAuthor
