The Port Melbourne Sharks continued their good form, climbing further up the table. Nea Hellas hosted St Albans on Saturday night.
On a difficult pitch due to the rain, the home side showed their strength and managed to limit the “Croats'” assets, circulating the ball well and taking advantage of the few chances they created.
Chris Duggan opened the scoring in the 39th minute, followed by Luca Tevere in the 53rd minute. Michael Grgic reduced the score in the 63rd minute with a beautiful direct free kick, but it was not enough to prevent the “Croatian” team’s third consecutive defeat in the NPL championship.
On Saturday night, Hume City and Hellas played out a 0-0 draw, with both teams struggling to circulate the ball and create dangerous situations. The match was mainly played in the midfield, with only a few opportunities created in front of the two goals. Esteban Quintas, the visiting team’s coach, commented briefly on the match.
“Tonight, we showed fear when we had the ball at our feet, as if we were avoiding taking it from our opponent because we didn’t know what to do with it. Our midfield performance in today’s match was disappointing. We were greatly affected by the absence of our key players, since tonight we had seven players in the stands again” said the obviously disappointed Argentinian coach.
With this draw, Hellas lost ground to the leaders, Avondale, who scored seven consecutive three-pointers to extend their amazing winning streak. The “Italians” demonstrated their strength by defeating Dandenong Thunder 1-3, proving that their scoring success is no fluke.
Heidelberg United suffered a painful defeat at home against Altona Magic. The “Yellow and Black” failed to maintain the lead they had gained thanks to Bilal Habib’s goal in the 15th minute of the match. The hosts came into the game more aggressively, showing dominance, but it seemed that their relatively quick goal had a negative effect on the team’s psychology. Altona’s players moved with speed, gracefully circulating the ball between them, as if they were driven by a determination to win. Their efforts were rewarded in the 51st minute when Alexander Castiello found the back of the net, tying the game up. Their hard work finally paid off almost 20 minutes later when Tommy Semmy scored the winning goal in the 74th minute. It was a heartbreaking loss for Alexander, who will need to make some serious changes if they want to have a starring role in this year’s NPL Championship.
The ‘Blue and White’ NPL 2 derby between Brunswick City and Northcote City ended in a 2-2 draw, with no winner emerging. The players put on an impressive show, displaying some beautiful football, and the referee’s final whistle saw them sharing the goals and the points. Similarly, Kingston City and Pascoe Vale also tied at 3-3, causing them to lose their lead in the points table as Western United and Preston Lions continued their winning streak, securing first and second place respectively.
Anthony Frangie made a name for himself with an incredible Puskas Award-nominated goal in the 61st minute of the New South Wales NPL Championship match between Mt Druitt and Sydney Olympic. His scissor kick was a showstopper, bringing fans to their feet in amazement to witness a spectacular move reminiscent of the great Cristiano Ronaldo. Frangie’s goal tied the game at 1-1, and after a nail-biting finish, that’s how the match ended. His great finish is sure to be remembered and talked about for a very long time – a truly remarkable moment in soccer history.
Pythagoras delighted their supporters on Saturday afternoon, when they secured their first victory in the NPL3 championship, beating Geelong 4–1 at home.
NPL RESULTS
Green Gully – Moreland City 6 – 2 (12′ G. Iannucci, 41′ P. Waring, 61′ A. Gerez, 63′ J. Hope, 70′ T. Vecchio, 80′ J. Hope – 29′ J. Lampard [A] 45+3′ J. Latham)
Port Melbourne Sharks – St. Albans 2 – 1 (39′ C. Duggan, 53′ L. Tevere – 63′ M. Grgic)
Hume City – South Melbourne 0 – 0
Dandenong Thunder – Avondale 1 – 3 (55′ M. Kamara – 23′ S. Zinni, 46′ M. Aguek, 50′ M. Aguek)
Heidelberg United – Altona Magic 1 – 2 (15′ B. Habib – 51′ A. Castiello, 74′ T. Semmy)
Melbourne Knights – North Geelong Warriors*
Oakleigh Cannons – Bentleigh Greens*
*These games are scheduled for Monday 10/04 afternoon
NPL – Ladder
1. Avondale 8 22
2. South Melbourne 8 19
3. Green Gully 8 15
4. Oakleigh Cannons 7 14
5. Port Melbourne 8 12
6. Melbourne Knights 7 11
7. Altona Magic 8 11
8. Hume City 8 10
9. Heidelberg United 8 8
10. Moreland City 8 8
11. St Albans Saints 8 7
12. Dandenong Thunder 8 7
13. Bentleigh Greens 7 3
14. North Geelong 7 3
NPL2 RESULTS
Preston Lions – Brunswick Juventus 2 – 0
Pascoe Vale – Kingston City 3 – 3
Werribee City – Manningham United 2 – 2
Brunswick City – Northcote City 2 – 2
Dandenong City – Langwarrin 4 – 0
Eastern Lions – Bulleen Lions 4 – 0
Melbourne City (Y) – Western United (Y) 0 – 4
NPL2 – Ladder
1. Western United (Y) 8 18
2. Preston Lions 8 17
3. Kingston City 8 16
4. Pascoe Vale 8 16
5. Langwarrin 8 13
6. Eastern Lions 8 12
7. Dandenong 8 11
8. Northcote City 7 10
9. Manningham 8 9
10. Werribee 8 9
11. Brunswick City 8 8
12. Brunswick Juventus 8 7
13. Bulleen 8 6
14. Melbourne City (Y) 7 4
NPL3 RESULTS
North Sunshine Eagles – Boroondara Eagles 1 – 0
Ballarat City – Goulburn Valley Suns 1 – 2
Essendon Royals – Melbourne Victory (Y) 1 – 4
Doveton – Beaumaris 1 – 1
Box Hill United – Geelong 4 – 1
Caroline Springs George Cross – Nunawading 1 – 4
NPL3 – Ladder
1. Nunawading 4 12
2. Melbourne Victory (Y) 4 12
3. North Sunshine 4 9
4. Beaumaris 4 7
5. Geelong 4 7
6. Goulburn Suns 4 6
7. Caroline Springs 4 6
8. Doveton 4 4
9. Box Hill 4 3
10. Boroondara 4 3
11. Essendon 4 1
12. Ballarat 4 0
