What an incredible weekend it was for all the Victorian football fans out there!
The excitement, the spectacle, the suspense – it was all there, making for yet another thrilling weekend of football.
With numerous goals being scored and countless one-on-one battles being fought, the image of the fourth matchday was truly one to behold. Fans were left on the edge of their seats as they witnessed their favorite teams and players deliver electrifying performances on the field.
From start to finish, it was a weekend filled with pure joy and adrenaline, and it’s safe to say that Victorian football fans can’t wait for more weekends like this to come.
Manningham United – South Melbourne
Manningham United was dominated by South Melbourne.
Despite falling behind early with a 2-0 , Esteban Quintas’ team managed to completely turn the game around and secure a victory at Templestowe.
The hosts, thanks to Everson’s two excellent goals in the 7th and 23rd minutes of the first half, caught the Greek team off guard.
However, the visitors remained composed and displayed an impressive performance, controlling the ball well and scoring two goals from Sawyer and one from Bonada before halftime.
The second half saw a similar start, with another exceptional goal from Harrison Sawyer in the 49th minute.
Three minutes later, Jordan Lampard sealed the deal with a goal of his own, bringing the final score to 5-2.
It is evident that South Melbourne’s prestigious team has the necessary qualities to be a top team once again this season.
Heidelberg United – Green Gully
Alexandros appears to be on the path to success as United radiates health and plays good football, pressing hard on the field.
They know what they want and seem to know how to achieve it.
In a short amount of time, Coach Anastasiadis successfully conveyed his desired style of play to his roster.
The team enjoys the new strategy and executes all of the systems and tactics practiced in training with their best effort.
On Friday against Grenn Gully, they dominated the match with Joshua Pin scoring the first goal in the 25th minute, followed by Benjamin Collins doubling the lead in the 39th minute.
In the second half, Pin scored again in the 69th minute, extending United’s lead to three goals.
However, the team then slowed down and played at a slower pace to conserve their strength for the challenging remainder of the season.
The fans were definitely content as they spectated the game, appreciating the team’s grind and showering them with affection and encouragement.
Dandenong City – Oakleigh Cannons
The match between Dandenong and The Cannons was nothing short of intense, with both teams battling it out to secure a win.
However, it was the host team that ultimately prevented The Cannons from taking home the victory.
In a surprising turn of events, Dandenong managed to score a beautiful goal from Bower in just the 7th minute, leaving Coach Chris Taylor’s team in shock.
Although The Cannons fought back and tried to respond, they seemed to lose their focus when reaching the final third of the field.
Joe Guest struggled with making accurate through passes, while Valentini had difficulty finding openings in the opposing defense.
And while Salmon did manage to score an equalizing goal in the 21st minute, he seemed isolated on the front line and was unable to pose any significant threats to Dandenong’s strong defense.
Despite their determination and passion for victory, The Cannons were ultimately forced to leave the unwelcoming Dandenong with a draw, leaving a bitter taste in their mouths. It was a tough match, but one thing is for sure – both teams gave it their all on the pitch and did not disappoint the passionate fans in attendance.
Hume City – Port Melbourne
The Sharks traveled to West Meadows hoping to continue their positive streak since the start of the new season, but they were unable to as the hosts dominated the match. Abdallah scored an incredible goal in the 7th minute, bringing joy to the fans of the Turkish team who came to enjoy football and the delicious canteen at Hume City Stadium.
Port Melbourne made attempts to respond, but could not score before the end of the first half.
The second half saw the hosts coming out strong, with Isgrove raising the bar for Port Melbourne by scoring in the 46th minute. This goal redeemed Isgrove, who had missed a penalty in the first half.
In the 61st minute, Harry Ascroft added a third goal and Mickel Plat scored in the 85th minute, resulting in a final score of 4-0.
The coach of New Hellas (Port Melbourne), Nick Marinos, appeared frustrated by his team’s heavy defeat.
He believes that his players have the potential to shine on the field, as long as they can execute what they practice during the week in training.
NPL1
Preston Lions and Northcote City battled to a 1-1 draw in the highly-anticipated derby. Both teams competed fiercely for the win on the field, but ultimately left with one point each.
The match was thrilling and lived up to the Lions’ reputation for intense games against Greek opponents.
Brunswick City was defeated at home by Melbourne City’s NPL team.
Although the home team took the lead in the 40th minute, they were unable to withstand Citys determination and ended the game with a final score of 2-3.
As the final whistle blew and the scoreboard displayed a shocking score of 7-1, it was clear that the Bentleigh Greens had fallen victim to a nightmare on the field.
The Western United had come in with a ferocity that proved too much for their opponents to handle.
The disappointed supporters of the Greens, who had gathered at Kingston Heath on that fateful Friday night, couldn’t believe what they were witnessing.
Each goal from the Western United felt like a scene from a horror movie, each one bringing more agony and despair for the Greens.
It was a match that they are unlikely to forget, one that will haunt them for some time to come.
NPL RESULTS AND SCORERS IN DETAIL
Heidelberg United – Green Gully 3 – 0 (25′ J. Pin, 39′ B. Collins, 69′ S. Ellis)
Dandenong City – Oakleigh Cannons 1 – 1 (7′ W. Bower – 21′ A. Salmon)
Moreland City – Avondale 0 – 1 (45+3′ C. Cuba)
Manningham United – South Melbourne 2 – 5 (7′ B. Everson, 23′ B. Everson – 37′ H. Sawyer, 39′ N. Bonada, 43′ H. Sawyer, 49′ H. Sawyer, 52′ J. Lampard )
Altona Magic – Dandenong Thunder 2 – 3 (2′ B. Juach, 34′ M. El Hawli – 43′ B. Kirdar, 81′ W. Dekker, 90+2′ J. Karantz)
Hume City – Port Melbourne 4 – 0 (7′ A. Abdallah, 46′ L. Isgrove, 61′ H. Ascroft, 85′ M. Platt)
Melbourne Knight – St Albans 3 – 0 (13′ C. Sewell, 31′ T. Semmy, 90+4′ J. Mabok)
NPL – RATING
1. South Melbourne 4 12
2. Heidelberg Utd 4 10
3. Avondale 4 10
4. Hume City 4 9
5. Dand City 4 7
6. Port Melb Sharks 4 7
7. Green Gully 4 6
8. Oakleigh Cannons 3 5
9. Melb Knights 4 4
10. Dande Thunder 4 3
11. Manningham 4 3
12. St. Albans 4 1
13. Altona Magic 3 0
14. Moreland 4 0
THE RESULTS OF NPL1
Preston Lions – Northcote City 1 – 1
Brunswick City – Melbourne City 2 – 3
Bentleigh Greens – Western United 1 – 7
North Geelong Warriors – Bulleen Lions 1 – 2
Caroline Springs George Cross – Langwarrin 1 -2
Melbourne Victory – Eastern Lions **
Kingston City – Werribee City **
**These matches played on Monday (4/3)
NPL1 – RATING
1. Langwarrin 4 10
2. Bulleen Lions 4 7
3. Melb Victory 3 7
4. Kingston 3 7
5. Carol Springs 3 5
6. Brunswick 4 5
7. Werribee City 3 5
8. Melb City 4 5
9. Preston Lions 4 5
10. Bentl Greens 4 4
11. Northcote 4 4
12. Western Utd 4 3
13. Eastern Lions 3 2
14. North Geelong 4 0
