Vancouver Rise FC has spent much of the past few weeks searching for a performance that felt like them.

Not just the three points but a reminder of the team that has built much of its identity on resilience, patience and finding ways to respond when matches become uncomfortable.

On Saturday night at McMahon Stadium, they found it.

After surrendering an early lead and going behind in the first half, Rise FC scored twice in the final minutes to defeat Calgary Wild FC 4-2, securing the club's first-ever victory in Calgary. It was a performance built just as much on belief as quality.

The performance may just be what the group needed going into Week 13 as the standings fluctuate. 

For head coach Anja Heiner-Møller, the significance extended well beyond the final score.

"It means a lot. It's been a while since we've had all three points," she said. "I think it was a good battle. I think Calgary had competition to us out there until the second half, until we had the last two goals. Confidence for the team in making sure we can close down the team in the end."

That confidence was visible almost immediately.

Just eight minutes into the match, Mia Pante picked up the ball on the left wing, drove fearlessly at the Calgary defence and calmly slotted home the opening goal. The finish was more than an early breakthrough; it was the first professional goal of the Vancouver native's career.

Rather than celebrating herself, Pante viewed the moment through the lens of the team.

"I was happy to get higher up the pitch and contribute offensively," she said. "It was fun out there, and I was glad I could help."

The early lead didn't last.

A penalty brought Calgary level before Jorian Baucom put the hosts ahead midway through the first half, forcing Rise FC to once again answer to adversity on the road.

And they did exactly that.

Mariah Lee earned and converted a penalty of her own to restore parity before halftime, opening her account for the 2026 season after finishing among Vancouver's leading scorers during the inaugural campaign. Behind her, Morgan McAslan quietly produced a pair of crucial saves before the break, ensuring the match remained level heading into the dressing room.

At halftime, Heiner-Møller made decisive changes, introducing Quinn and Jaylyn Wright while adjusting the team's shape.

The objective wasn't to reinvent the game plan but looked more to settle the match.

"We had to make sure that we didn't run our wide players, so we came a little over on the sides, and we tried to keep a little more possession," Heiner-Møller explained.

The tactical tweaks gradually shifted the momentum.

Rise FC became more patient in possession, controlled larger stretches of the second half and continued asking questions of Calgary's back line. As the minutes ticked away, belief never seemed to disappear from the visitors.

It was rewarded in the 86th minute.

Jessica De Filippo found substitute Maithé López in space down the right, and the Colombian delivered a perfectly weighted cross for fellow substitute Josie Longhurst, who glanced a header beyond Katelin Talbert to restore Vancouver's lead.

If that felt like the breakthrough, stoppage time provided the exclamation point.

After seeing one effort cleared off the line and another denied, López refused to let the chance slip away, hammering home her first goal for the Rise while also collecting her first assist for the club in a memorable cameo.

The contributions from the bench spoke volumes about Vancouver's depth. On a night when the squad needed fresh energy, the substitutes combined to change the match.

For Pante, though, the biggest takeaway wasn't the scoreline; it was what it said about the group.

"I think it's really important. We've kind of been struggling the past couple games to find our groove, find our identity," she said. "I think today you saw the resilience in our team, and the ability to come back, even when we were tied at half. That was special."

That resilience may be exactly what Vancouver needs heading into another difficult stretch.

The victory over Calgary came during the club's demanding run of consecutive road matches, with another away trip awaiting next weekend against AFC Toronto. Managing travel, recovery and energy levels will be just as important as maintaining momentum.

"We have a game next week in Toronto, away again. That's the third in a row away. We've travelled back and forth," Heiner-Møller said. "I think the team does pretty well on that, but we need to be very cautious around the recovery time and building on top of that confidence."

Pante believes this result gives Rise FC something tangible to build on.

"Sticking together, adding this under our belt," she said. "I think this just gives us confidence, and it shows we can do it and we can travel, come in late, and come and perform. Just coming together, watching back on film, and seeing what we did well to keep doing and looking at the things we can improve on."

For weeks, the Rise had been looking for a performance that reflected who they believe they are.

In Calgary, it seemed as if they didn't just find the three points, but also themselves again.