South Melbourne Hellas dominated the field this weekend as the only Greek Australian team to take home the win– The battle of Heidelberg United and Port Melbourne ended in a tie – The Oakleigh Cannons’ unfortunate streak of losses continues – With each passing week, Northcote City inches its way towards the top like a determined turtle in a race against flashy rabbits – The Bentleigh Greens put up a valiant effort, but the Preston Lions pounced on victory in the dying seconds of the match.
South Melbourne – Altona Magic
Looks like South Melbourne Hellas is busy collecting victory souvenirs.
While other teams are falling apart from exhaustion and losing their mojo, Hellas is just showing off and doing what they do best – winning.
The party at Lakeside Stadium started early, courtesy of Mikkola and his smooth moves. He kicked things off with a goal in the 3rd minute that was pure gold.
The rest of the game was a breeze, with no real competition from the opposing team. It only took about 45 minutes for another goal to be scored, and Brennan did not disappoint with his killer pass to Bonada, securing their lead.
Even when the visitors thought they had a chance, Mikkola showed them who’s boss with another goal in the 58th minute.
In a display of pure cheekiness, Emile Peios swooped in and netted a gorgeous goal in the 70th minute, effectively locking in the win.
What a fortuitous gift for coach Esteban Quintas on his 49th birthday!
His leadership propelled his team to yet another effortless victory, leaving their opponents pondering if this unstoppable force can ever be halted.
Heidelberg United – Port Melbourne
The much anticipated match between Heidelberg United and Port Melbourne ended in a goalless affair.
It seemed both teams were playing a riveting game of “who can avoid scoring” with most of the action taking place in the middle of the field.
It was quite uneventful, though the goalies did have a front-row seat for the lackluster show.
While the hosts tried to turn up the heat towards the end, the visitors’ sturdy defense stood strong, leaving the score sheet empty.
The final result was a draw, but let’s give credit where it’s due – Port Melbourne played like warriors, holding their ground against all odds at one of the toughest arenas in the league.
Green Gully – Oakleigh Cannons
The mighty Cannons are struggling to light up the field.
The team’s luck has run dry with three losses in a row, leaving them in a state of despair.
Even their latest game against Green Gully proved to be a lost cause as the hosts dominated with a 3-0 lead at half-time.
Oakleigh’s attempts to catch up fell flat, only gaining momentum when their opponents already had a comfortable 4-0 lead.
Goals from Valentini and Waring brought a glimmer of hope, but it was not enough to turn the game around.
With a lack of confidence and motivation, it seems the players and coach need a kick in the grass to get their season back on track.
Time to find their inner cannon power and start firing on all cylinders!
VPL1
The Northcote City squad is sky-rocketing towards the top, showing off impressive bravery and boldness. The “Blues” shut down the Eastern Lions on Friday night, completely owning the field. They seized the game right from the whistle, owning it for the full ninety minutes, and walked away with a 2-0 triumph. A vital win for the Greek Australian crew, bringing them one step closer to the peak of VPL1’s table.
Bentleigh Greens took a tumble against the Preston Lions as they surrendered to a devastating 2-1 loss. Despite putting up a fierce fight, their hopes were crushed by a last-minute goal from the home team. But hey, at least they’re showing some signs of progress since hiring George Katsakis. It seems like this coach is on a mission to bring the Greens back to their glory days, and this game against the Lions is just a taste of the greatness to come.
VPL2
Sparks flew and egos clashed at the Friday night showdown between Box Hill United and Brunswick Juventus. But despite their all-out war on the field, the end result of a mere 2-2 draw left them both with only a single point. Talk about honorable efforts from the Greek Australian squad against one of the VPL2’s most prominent team.
NPL – RESULTS
Melbourne Knights – Moreland City 6 – 0 (8′ J. Franjic, 29′ G. Albano, 41′ C. Bramwell, 43′ M. Hore, 45+1′ G. Albano, 51′ S. Sakhi)
South Melbourne – Altona Magic 4 – 0 (4′ M. Mikkola, 47′ N. Bonada, 58′ M. Mikkola, 71′ E. Peios)
Green Gully – Oakleigh Cannons 4 – 2 (15′ J. Hope, 21′ A. Koudakpo, 44′ J. Latham, 69′ J. Hope – 78′ S. Valentini, 86′ P. Waring )
Avondale – Manningham United 5 – 1 (9′ C. Cuba, 29′ S. Zinni, 48′ G. Ott, 78′ Y. Ahmed, 85′ S. Zinni – 24′ B. Everson [P])
Heidelberg United – Port Melbourne Sharks 0 – 0
Dandenong Thunder – Dandenong City 1 – 0 (B. Kirdar)
St Albans Saints – Hume City 0 – 3 (6′ J. Gulevski, 11′ J. Gulevski, 36′ A. Abdallah)
NPL – TABLE
1. South Melbourne 19 47
2. Avondale 19 42
3. Heidelberg Utd 19 37
4. Oakleigh Cannons 19 37
5. Hume City 19 36
6. Port Melb Sharks 19 30
7. Melb Knights 19 25
8. Dand City 19 25
9. Green Gully 19 23
10. Altona Magic 19 21
11. Dand Thunder 19 21
12. Manningham 19 11
13. Moreland 19 10
14. St. Albans 19 10
VPL1 – RESULTS
Preston Lions – Bentleigh Greens 2 – 1
Northcote City – Eastern Lions 2 – 0
Langwarrin – Werribee City 3 – 1
Melbourne Victory – Caroline Springs 0 – 4
Western United – North Geelong Warriors 2 – 2
Kingston City – Brunswick City *
Bulleen Lions – Melbourne City *
* These matches took place on Monday afternoon (24/6).
VPL1 – TABLE
1. Melb Victory 19 41
2. Northcote 19 38
3. Preston Lions 19 38
4. Western Utd 19 37
5. Langwarrin 19 28
6. Bulleen Lions 18 25
7. Bentl Greens 19 25
8. Melb City 18 24
9. Carol Springs 19 20
10. Brunswick City 18 19
11. Kingston 18 18
12. Eastern Lions 19 18
13. Werribee City 19 15
14. North Geelong 19 11
VPL2 – RESULTS
Box Hill United – Brunswick Juventus 2 – 2
Pascoe Vale – North Sunshine Eagles 1 – 4
Essendon Royals – Beaumaris 1 – 0
Altona City – Doveton 1 – 2
Nunawading City – FC Melbourne Srbija 3 – 2
Boroondara Carey Eagles – Goulburn Valley Suns 4 – 3
VPL2 – TABLE
1. Nth Sunsh. Eagles 15 33
2. FC Melb. Serbia 15 30
3. Brun Juventus 15 30
4. Altona City 15 27
5. Boroondara Eagles 15 23
6. Essendon Royals 15 22
7. Pascoe Vale 14 21
8. Nunawading City 15 19
9. Box Hill 15 19
10. Doveton 14 10
11. Goulburn Valley 15 9
12. Beaumaris 15 5
