Calgary Wild FC edge Halifax Tides in Northern Super League
Calgary extended its undefeated run to 4 straight games
Calgary's Wild FC held off the Halifax Tides 3-2 on Thursday in the Northern Super League.
Wild (3-2-2) scored three first-half goals before the winless Tides (0-5-1) countered with two late in the second.
Calgary extended its undefeated run to four straight games with two wins and two draws in that span.
Wild FC defeated the Tides 4-1 in Halifax on April 26 for Calgary's first NSL victory, and a week after the six-team NSL launched with the Vancouver Rise blanking Calgary 1-0.
"It was a similar story to the last time we played Halifax. We put the game to bed early and then we let them get a bit of momentum at the start of the second half, but this one maybe even more so," said Wild coach Lydia Bedford.
"I give full credit to them. This league is very competitive. They showed that tonight putting two away in the second half."
WATCH | Wild hold on to defeat Halifax:
The Wild's Taegan Stewart scored her first career NSL goal when the 17-year-old Calgarian drilled a right-foot shot from the centre box home in first-half extra time.
"It's been coming for a while. I had a couple of chances over the last couple of matches, but third time is a charm," Stewart said. "It was really exciting and now I'm wanting more."
She celebrated her first goal by hopping on the back of forward Christie Gray's back for a run down McMahon Stadium's pitch.
Taegan's twin sister and Wild teammate Keelyn attended their high school graduation ceremony in the afternoon before heading to the pitch in the evening.
"It was a long, busy day — a pretty exciting day having graduated high school — but we made it work," said Keelyn.
"It was even more exciting that we finally got to share the field together, so was a perfect way to end things off for us."
Added Bedford: "T had her first start in the first Halifax game and for Kee, she has been pushing and pushing, knocking on my door for when those minutes are going to come. I'm just so proud of them both. To be 17 and to be stepping on the pitch as well as they are just shows all the work they have put in."
Jenaya Robertson of Delta, B.C., made it 2-0 for the hosts with a left-footed strike in the 41st minute.
Australian defender Ally Green got Calgary's first-half scoring burst underway in the 23rd minute.
Wild goalkeeper Stephanie Bukovec's bid for a third clean sheet in four games was foiled when Haligonian Saorla Miller and Japanese striker Megumi Nakamura scored in the 72nd and 76th minutes respectively for the Tides.
Bukovec and Halifax keeper Erin McLeod, who has appeared in 119 games for the Canadian women's team, each made one save.
Bukovec was the busier of the two women with 68 touches to McLeod's 36.
Wild FC's next game is against AFC Toronto in Calgary on June 14. The Tides host Ottawa Rapid FC on June 10.
Toronto versus Ottawa and Vancouver facing Montreal Roses FC is Saturday's NSL match lineup.
