May 22, 2022 will go down in Canadian soccer history as the day that League1 BC made its long-awaited debut, with a total of six matches played across the province.
Canada’s newest Pro-Am soccer league kicked off its inaugural match at Ken Woods Field in Vancouver, as Vancouver Whitecaps FC played host to Victoria Highlanders FC in Women’s Division action. The young, talented Whitecaps side earned a 5-1 victory, and ‘Caps forward Anna Hauer can boast of having scored the first-ever goal in League1 BC history in the 22nd minute of the match.
WOW ?, how’s that for an inaugural goal?
Congratulations to Anna Hauer from @WFCElite for adding her name to @League1BC and @League1Canada history ?#RiseAsOne pic.twitter.com/rhsForDwmX
— League1 British Columbia (@League1BC) May 23, 2022
In other L1BC Women’s Division action, Unity FC edged TSS Rovers FC by a score of 2-1, while Rivers FC took home three points with a 2-0 win over Altitude FC
There were three matches in the L1BC Men’s Division as well on Sunday, and all three matches ended in a draw.
Highlanders FC and Whitecaps FC drew 2-2 in the first Men’s match of the day, in what was a very entertaining match. Rivers FC scored from the penalty spot late in the second half to secure a 1-1 tie with Altitude FC at Hillside Stadium in Kamloops.
The final match of the day saw hosts TSS Rovers, in front of a crowd of 700+ supporters/owners at historic Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, earn a 1-1 draw against Unity FC. Their enthusiastic fans were brought to their feet thanks to Devin O’Hea’s outstanding diving header that helped the home side earn a share of the points.
League1 BC General Manager Sian Bagshawe was understandably excited to get Opening Day up and running “It’s tremendous to see League1 BC kickoff and see all the off-field dedication from the Clubs translate into finally competing on the field. The opportunities for the players, fans, and communities to build on their collective success is something that will be a great asset to the league and development for future opportunities within the game.”
Varsity FC was the only team who didn’t see action on Matchday 1, but they will make their L1BC debut on May 26th when both their Women’s and Men’s teams make the trip to Langley to take on Unity FC at Chase Office Field on the campus of Trinity Western University.
For League1 BC news, schedules, scores, and standings, please visit www.league1bc.ca.
About League1 BC
League1 BC is an adult, open-age Pro-Am Soccer League operated by BC Soccer. Established in 2021 and kicking off in Spring 2022, the league bridges the gap between youth and professional soccer, targeting the “Training to Compete” stage within Long-term Player Development (LTPD). The league will engage communities across British Columbia providing standard-based competition and training environments for female and male players, coaches, and match officials. League1 BC serves as a key platform for advancement to further opportunities within the game. The league features seven teams in each of its Women’s and Men’s Divisions in its inaugural season.