Wednesday night at BC Place, the Vancouver Rise secured the first win in Northern Super League history, as they defeated the visiting Calgary Wild by a score of 1-0.

You never quite know what to expect from the first match in a brand new league. There will always be a small sense of nervous uncertainty when it comes to these types of occasions, after all, there are so many unknowns. It was the same with the Canadian Premier League back in 2019.

Despite those nerves, the overwhelming feeling on Wednesday night was one of excitement, imagining the possibilities that this new venture can offer the soccer community in our country. That excitement was palpable at BC Place and the areas that surround it prior to the match – and it was great to see such a diverse crowd in attendance.

As much as this was a soccer match, it also felt like a celebration. This was true from the pre-match ceremony all the way to the final whistle. Simply getting to this point has not been easy for the Northern Super League, and debuting a professional women’s league in Canada, on its own, is a huge accomplishment.

With all that said, it was not as though this opening match was ceremonial. The intensity and physicality between the Rise and Wild was notable throughout, with both sides looking to assert themselves on the match, while no doubt shaking off some of those nerves that came along with the occasion.

Vancouver was undoubtedly the better team in the first half, as they controlled the majority of the ball and placed Calgary under significant pressure when they did happen to gain possession. Rise’s pressing led to a number of Wild giveaways inside their own half, and this meant that Calgary never really settled into the pace of the game.

In the 21st minute, Holly Ward, a former League 1 BC and University of Texas standout, made a marauding run down the left flank, taking on multiple Wild defenders before drawing a foul inside the Calgary area. The referee pointed to the spot, and Vancouver had a prime opportunity to not only take the lead, but also to secure the first goal in league history.

It was appropriate, then, that Quinn stepped up to the penalty spot. The national team veteran is not known for their goal scoring, but Vancouver’s leader calmly slotted the penalty home, much to the joy of the 14,000+ supporters in attendance, securing a historic moment in front of a home crowd.

Holly Ward almost doubled the score for the Rise with a goal of her own in the 28th minute, but her shot from a tight angle clattered off the near post, before rolling harmlessly to the far corner of the pitch away from goal.

The Wild made some adjustments at halftime, and did look like a much improved unit in the second forty-five, enjoying more time in possession, even if their attacks were few and far between. In particular, Calgary’s forwards were most often disconnected from the rest of the team, and this was evidenced by the Wild’s inability to create a shot on target until the very late stages of the match.

Vancouver did not make life easy for the Wild either, as the pairing of Shannon Woeller and Jessika Cowart was formidable on the backline, while Quinn and Nikki Stanton controlled Vancouver’s defensive shape from the midfield. This should be the strength of Vancouver’s team this season, as those four in the spine of the Rise formation will be very difficult to break down. At the attacking end, it was really all about Holly Ward for the Rise, as she was tremendous in 1v1 situations and should be a top attacking player in this league.

While the Wild did have one or two looks at goal in the final moments, Vancouver was able to see out the result in front of their home supporters, claiming an opening victory, getting the Northern Super League off to a great start.

It’s hard to make any sweeping proclamations after a single match, but it looks like the NSL is starting in a great place and should only get better over time. I think we will have a much better picture once each team has played all of the other teams in the league, where rivalries and battles for positioning start to develop. Equally, we should start to see more tactical nuance as coaches develop a better understanding of their own teams, as well as having training time to prepare for opponents.

This was a special night at BC Place, and I’m looking forward to the matches at Swangard this season, hope to see you there.