Another interesting weekend of Victorian football unfolded, as the 6th matchday delivered an array of exciting events: derbies, beautiful goals, and large crowds filling the stands.
The Greek teams once again showcased their impressive performances, propelling them to the top spots of the table.
Port Melbourne – Heidelberg United
The Port Melbourne derby was lit on Saturday afternoon as the Sharks faced off against the visitors United.
It was an intense two-hour game filled with drama and passion.
The Yellow and Black brigade came out swinging, scoring an early goal thanks to Yokokawa.
They then proceeded to dominate most of the first half like bosses.
But just before halftime, Peters saved the day and tied the game, leaving us all on the edge of our seats for the second half.
And boy, did it deliver.
With superstar Kaine Sheppard leading the charge, Heidelberg regained the lead in the 54th minute.
But then, plot twist!
The visitors lost one of their players in the 61st minute, giving Port Melbourne a fire in their belly to seek out that equalizing goal.
And bam! It finally came in the 86th minute from Andrico Mesourouni, sending the home team and their fans into an uproar of celebration.
Altona Magic – South Melbourne
South Melbourne strutted through Altona with ease.
The ball was barely even warmed up by the time Max Mikkola found the net in the 2nd minute.
The second half was a mere formality as Bonada doubled their advantage in the 48th minute.
Altona Magic attempted a comeback, but it was over faster than a speed date as they were quickly shut down.
Harrison Sawyer, the league’s scoring machine, made it 3-1 in the 66th minute with a flawless penalty kick.
Archibald put the icing on the cake in the 80th minute, sending South Melbourne soaring to victory.
This only adds to their undefeated streak and secures their spot at the top of the league. Looks like South Melbourne is made of magic after all.
Oakleigh Cannons – Green Gully
The Green Gully team was completely cannon-balled by the mighty Oakleigh Cannons. They had no chance from the get-go as the home team aggressively dominated the game.
The former Bentleigh Greens player, Moonib Adus, got things rolling with a goal in the 3rd minute. And to top it off, the team’s captain and star player, Joe Guest, scored two goals before halftime, solidifying their dominance.
The second half was basically a leisurely training session for the Cannons, with Alex Salmon joining in on the fun and scoring in the 52nd minute.
The only goal for the guests was a mere consolation prize scored by Josh Hope in the 64th minute.
Coach Chris Taylor couldn’t help but sing praises for his team’s stellar performance and undeniable readiness for any challenge this year.
With their fierce offense and impenetrable defense, the Cannons are sure to impress this season.
Two more games have caught our attention out of the remaining NPL schedule.
Thunder achieved a significant away victory against Dandenong City, with a score of 2-1, and Manningham impressed with their win over last year’s champions, Avondale, with a score of 3-0.
VPL1
Victory for Bentleigh Greens as they claw their way to a 3-2 win against the Preston Lions.
It looks like the team’s got a shiny new coach with a killer track record – it seems George Katsakis is back to revive the Greens and bring them back to their former glory.
Sources say fans are buzzing with excitement over this seasoned coach’s hiring. Pancyprios previous coach, David Chick stepped down for personal reasons after the game against the Lions.
The much-awaited Blue and White showdown resulted in a 2-2 stalemate.
Despite Brunswick and Kingston giving it their all, victory seemed out of their reach and they had to settle for a tie.
Northcote completely shut down Eastern Lions in their own home with a 3-0 victory.
The Blues came, conquered, and gracefully exited.
Talk about confidence and efficiency.
The club fans must be oozing with pride after that impressive performance.
VPL2
The Box Hill team took on the North Sunshine Eagles in a nail-biting showdown on Saturday night.
Despite being down a player for ages, they fought like champs and snagged one point before heading out of town.
The ref’s whistle blew with the score tied at 1-1, leaving both teams with a case of sweaty palms..
NPL – RESULTS
Dandenong City – Dandenong Thunder 1 – 2 (81′ D. Iaconis – 14′ W. Dekker, 39′ B. Kirdar)
Oakleigh Cannons – Green Gully 4 – 1 (3′ M. Adus, 18′ J. Guest, 41′ J. Guest, 51′ A. Salmon – 64′ J. Hope)
Manningham United – Avondale 3 – 0 (12′ R. Harding, 38′ J. Ramirez, 85′ T. Toundas)
Moreland City – Melbourne Knights 0 – 1 (62′ T. Semmy)
Port Melbourne – Heidelberg United 2 – 2 (45+1′ E. Peters, 86′ A. Mesourounis – 8′ A. Yokokawa – 54′ K. Sheppard)
Altona Magic – South Melbourne 1 – 4 (64′ A. O’ Driscoll – 2′ M. Mikkola, 48′ N. Bonada, 66′ H. Sawyer [P], 80′ R. Archibar)
Hume City – St Albans 2 – 1 (59′ J. Bingham, 80′ L. Isgrove – 85′ I. Razumic)
NPL – TABLE
Teams Matches Points
1. South Melbourne 6 16
2. Avondale 6 13
3. Hume City 6 12
4. Heidelberg Utd 6 12
5. Oakleigh Cannons 5 11
6. Port Melb Sharks 6 11
7. Dand City 6 8
8. Melb Knights 6 8
9. Dande Thunder 5 6
10. Green Gully 6 6
11. Manningham 6 6
12. St. Albans 6 4
13. Altona Magic 6 3
14. Moreland 6 0
VPL1 – RESULTS
Werribee City – Langwarrin 1 – 1
Brunswick City – Kingston City 2 – 2
Bentleigh Greens – Preston Lions 3 – 2
North Geelong Warriors – Western United 0 – 2
Eastern Lions – Northcote City 0 – 3
Caroline Springs George Cross – Melbourne Victory 0 – 0
Melbourne City – Bulleen Lions 2 – 2
VPL1 – TABLE
Teams Matches Points
1. Melb Victory 6 14
2. Langwarrin 6 14
3. Kingston 6 11
4. Bulleen Lions 6 11
5. Northcote 6 10
6. Brunswick 6 9
7. Preston Lions 6 8
8. Bentl Greens 6 7
9. Western Utd 5 6
10. Carol Springs 6 6
11. Melb City 6 6
12. Werribee City 6 6
13. Eastern Lions 5 2
14. North Geelong 6 0