Northern Super League gets a memorable opening goal from Quinn: ‘Pretty cool moment’
It’s fitting that the first goal in Northern Super League history belongs to a Canadian. Quinn’s successful penalty was a wonderful way for the league to open its scoring account.
VANCOUVER — “A league built by Canadians for Canadians.”
That was the slogan Northern Super League co-founder Diana Matheson delivered in an introduction video played on the BC Place jumbotron, just minutes before kickoff of the league’s inaugural match Wednesday
It’s fitting, then, that the first goal in league history belongs to a Canadian.
The clock was in the 22nd minute when the ball found the back of the net — and in that instant, the NSL officially had its first piece of history.
The opening 21 minutes saw both teams trade scoring chances and make key defensive plays to keep the game scoreless. Intensity and anticipation were palpable as players worked through nerves and excitement.
But the breakthrough came after Vancouver Rise FC was awarded a penalty kick following a defensive foul by Calgary Wild FC’s Meikayla Moore, who brought down Holly Ward with a trip.
And the goal-scorer? That would be Quinn, a 29-year-old midfielder from Toronto, who stepped up to take the shot and buried it into the bottom right corner as Calgary goalkeeper Stephanie Bukovec dove the opposite way.
With the crowd of 14,018 fans already erupting as the hosts went up by one, the stadium announcer declared, “The first goal in Northern Super League history, scored by No. 5: Quinn,” prompting even louder cheers and applause.
Asked post-game how it was determined who would take the penalty for Vancouver, Quinn said, “I think I was feeling good about it, and I just wanted to be confident, and I feel confident about penalties, and just thought I should step up in that moment. But I know we have a whole team that can do that, so it’s just good to get it in.”
While the nature of the goal wasn’t necessarily the most climactic in terms of build-up — coming off a penalty rather than flowing play — history doesn’t need spectacle to be special. It just needs to happen.
And everything about Wednesday night felt special — for those experiencing it from the pitch, the stands or through a screen.
“I think it was bigger than I was expecting,” admitted Quinn, who’s well-accustomed to high-stakes moments. “I think I’ve been in some really big games, and so I thought, ‘Oh yeah, this will be easy to handle.’ But then definitely stepping in on the pitch, and you know, seeing (NSL co-founder) Diana Matheson and (team co-owner) Christine Sinclair with the ball, and just kind of sinking in how much work’s been done to get to this moment. I think I just took that time, and that was a pretty surreal moment for me. So, it definitely kind of hit my heart in a different way than I thought it would for sure.”
Scoring the NSL’s first goal is a feat no one else will ever claim, destined to be immortalized in everything from promotional videos to trivia questions. It marked the opening page in the league’s story — a symbolic moment that further confirmed the NSL’s arrival. A reminder to fans that this is real, that it’s happening. Not just a number on the scoreboard, but the start of something much bigger.
And with Quinn’s name tied to it, the moment gains even more significance. A player who needs no introduction to most in this country, Quinn has earned over 100 caps for the Canadian women’s national team since making their senior debut at 18, helping Canada win gold at the Tokyo Olympics, bronze in Rio, four Concacaf medals and to compete in two FIFA World Cups.
A trailblazer in the world of sports, Quinn became the first openly non-binary transgender athlete to compete at the Olympics — and the first to win a medal — in 2021 in Tokyo. Two years later, they were the first openly non-binary transgender footballer to play at the World Cup.
Quinn joins Vancouver after six seasons with Seattle Reign FC in the NWSL. Before turning professional, they played collegiate soccer at Duke University in North Carolina, making history as the first Canadian to join the school’s women’s soccer program. Selected third overall by the Washington Spirit in the 2018 NWSL College Draft, Quinn became the highest drafted Canadian in league history. Their career also includes stints with Paris FC in France and Vittsjö GIK in Sweden.
Despite all of Quinn’s accomplishments to date, scoring the first goal in NSL history stands out, especially considering they entered the match with just one career goal in domestic league play and six at the international level.
“Yeah, it’s a pretty cool moment,” Quinn said. “Not one I thought I’d have, I score goals few and far between, but I think it was just exciting for our team to get on the scoreboard, like I think that was a bit of a relief for us. So it was such a team effort getting to that point, and it was really exciting to celebrate as a team.”
Bukovec, a Canadian who represents Croatia internationally and now holds the distinction of being the first goalkeeper scored on in the league, was asked post-game how she managed to regroup after conceding to crowd favourite Quinn. She went on to make several solid saves throughout the match.
“Honestly, as a goalkeeper, you just have to forget about it and move on,” answered Bukovec. “It’s such a mental position. And yeah, you can’t really do much on penalties. Just have to move forward and think of the rest of the game. You still have a whole, you know, 80 minutes (to play), or whatever.”
She also reflected on how meaningful the occasion was: “I’ve been waiting for this game for a while now. I’m happy I got the opportunity to play — it was a surreal experience playing on home soil. Not the result we wanted, but it was an amazing experience to be a part of history.”
Quinn’s goal ultimately decided the opener, as Vancouver earned the first win in league history — another milestone that will forever be etched into the Northern Super League’s story.
