Port Melbourne Sharks – Green Gully
In an epic battle against Green Gully, the Port Melbourne players fearlessly fought for victory and came out on top, securing some precious points along the way.
With unwavering determination, they kept their dreams of catching up to Dandenong City and snagging the sixth spot in the standings alive.
The Sharks dominated the field, with midfielder Charlie Leech delivering a jaw-dropping goal in the 35th minute.
Despite being closely marked and having limited space, Leech managed to score an insane shot that ricocheted off the left post before landing in the opposing team’s net.
In a flash of emerald brilliance, Green Gully retaliated with lightning speed. Gianluca Iannucci waltzed his way to the center of the field and with a few swift moves, sent a fiery strike soaring into the Port Melbourne net. It was a perfect equalizer, leaving the home team speechless with a 1-1 score.
In the 50th minute, the away team decided to shake things up and scored a goal thanks to Jamie Latham. But Port Melbournes undaunted players, led by Nick Marinos, refused to back down.
Just twelve minutes later, their perseverance led to an equalizer by Andrikos Mesourounis. But as they say, the best is always saved for last.
With a little fancy footwork, Abraham Mathet attempted to secure the title of “Goal of the Season” in the 86th minute.
The Gully keeper may have saved his shot, but it was Charlie Leech who rose to the occasion, scoring his second goal of the game and earning himself the hero title for the night.
These crucial three points secured the victory for his team, keeping the fans of Port Melbourne team entertained but most importantly, satisfied.
This victorious end will surely fill the team with renewable optimism and mental prowess for the tough final stretch of the season.
St Albans Saints – Oakleigh Cannons
The Oakleigh Cannons faced some serious obstacles during their Sunday showdown with the Saints.
Injuries, benchwarmers, and an overall shaky performance left them gasping for air on the field.
The away team had as much luck scoring as a nun at a singles mixer, and their defense was about as sturdy as a house of cards.
All it took was one swift strike from Dinamo’s Jackson Fowler in the 18th minute to seal their doom. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Not only did the Cannons suffer a crushing defeat, but they also fell down the league ladder faster than a toddler learning to walk.
Looks like they’ll have to bring their A-game against the Melbourne Knights if they want any chance of redemption.
Moreland City – Heidelberg United
The Heidelberg United footballers faced off against an eager Moreland City team, hellbent on collecting points to stay in the NPL.
But the determined opponents were no match for John Anastasiadis’ squad, who dominated the game and left Morelands home with a sweet 3-2 win.
Within just the second minute, Asahi Yokokawa scored a goal, giving Heidelberg United the early lead.
But Moreland City fought back with a stellar goal from Diego Cuba, tying the game at 1-1 by halftime.
As the second half kicked off, Heidelberg United came on strong once again, snatching back the lead in the 59th minute thanks to an own goal from Moreland’s flustered defenders.
But the home team refused to back down and found an equalizer in the 83rd minute through the skilled footwork of Jose Sanz.
But not to be outdone, James Ngor from the Heidelberg United squad swooped in during the final moments of the game to secure the win for his team.
With a smooth move in the opponent’s area, Ngor sealed the deal with a goal, bringing the score to 3-2 and solidifying an epic away victory to remain in the running for second place.
South Melbourne – Dandenong City
The mighty South Melbourne Hellas were defeated by Dandenong City in their latest showdown. The home team’s chill attitude led to a 1-2 defeat. Looks like relaxation wasn’t the secret to success this time.
The visiting team smashed one in at the 38th minute thanks to a blunder by the Greek Aussie defense. Damian Iaconis delivered a perfect shot from up close, causing Hellas coach Esteban Quintas to turn fiery with frustration.
The home team desperately tried to mount a comeback in the waning minutes of the first half, but alas, their search for a goal was as successful as finding a parking spot in Chadstone on Boxing Day. Despite their efforts, both teams sauntered off to the locker room with a disappointing score of 0-1.
With a fiery passion, the Hellas footballers stormed onto the field for the second half. And just two minutes in, they lit up the scoreboard with a glorious goal.
Emile Peios gracefully took control on the right wing and served up a perfect cross to Harrison Sawyer.
Even the mighty City keeper couldn’t stop Sawyer from soaring above and heading the ball into the net, tying the game at 1-1 and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
Fun fact: Sawyer was only on the field for a mere two minutes before his game-changing heroics. Talk about making an entrance!
The home team had more shots on goal than a drunk at a bar, but couldn’t seal the deal. The guests were like a fortress, shutting down every attempt made by South Melbourne.
Just when South Melbournefans thought that the afternoon couldn’t get any worse, they were served up a second goal.
Bradley Plant somehow managed to pull a rabbit out of his hat and score for Dandenong City in the 86th minute, sending the away team into a frenzy of jubilation.
Can we really blame the Greek Australian squad?
Apparently, even football teams need to take a break from their busy schedules.
South Melbourne’s lackluster performance was a result of exhaustion, not lack of ability. Talk about a real kick in the gut.
VPL1
The Brunswick City boys really showed Western United how it’s done, with a 1-2 victory. The Greek Australian club gave us all a glimmer of hope for the season ahead. Let’s hope they can keep this up and secure their VPL1 spot for next season.
The weekend brought more disappointment for Northcote City and Bentleigh Greens. Heracles stumbled in their pursuit for the title, unable to secure a win against second-to-last Werribee on their own turf.
Despite a heated battle on the pitch, the final whistle blew with a 1-1 stalemate.
As for Bentleigh Greens, George Cross shattered their home dreams with a 1-0 victory.
VPL2
Box Hill United’s performance last weekend was a bigger disappointment than discovering the souvlaki place has run out of tzatziki.
The Greek Australian club played host to the Goulbourn Valley Suns for a match that was supposed to be a breeze, but instead turned into a nightmare for the home team. The Suns, clearly unfazed by the supposed “home field advantage”, completely outplayed their opponents and left with a well-deserved 2-0 victory.
NPL – RESULTS
Melbourne Knights – Altona Magic 2 – 1 (37′ G. Albano, 67′ G. Albano – 62′ I. Haji)
South Melbourne – Dandenong City 1 – 2 (50′ H. Sawyer – 42′ D. Iaconis, 86′ B. Plant)
Avondale – Dandenong Thunder 2 – 1 (22′ K. Trajceski, 54′ S. Zinni – 50′ W. Dekker)
Moreland City – Heidelberg United 2 – 3 (41′ D. Cuba, 83′ J. Arancibia – 2′ A. Yokokawa, 59′ [A], 90+4′ S. James Ngor)
Port Melbourne Sharks – Green Gully 3 – 2 (35′ C. Leech, 62′ A. Mesourounis, 86′ C. Leech – 37′ G. Iannucci, 50′ J. Latham)
Hume City – Manningham United 5 – 1 (41′ J. Bingham, 49′ H. Ascroft, 63′ H. Ascroft, 79′ O. Eze, 90+4′ L. Isgrove – 81′ M. Al Saadi)
St Albans Saints – Oakleigh Cannons 1 – 0 (18′ J. Fowler)
NPL – TABLE
1. South Melbourne 23 53
2. Avondale 23 47
3. Hume City 23 46
4. Heidelberg Utd 23 44
5. Oakleigh Cannons 23 44
6. Dand City 23 34
7. Port Melb Sharks 23 33
8. Melb Knights 23 32
9. Altona Magic 23 27
10. Dand Thunder 23 25
11. Green Gully 23 24
12. St. Albans 23 19
13. Manningham 23 15
14. Moreland 23 11
VPL1 – RESULTS
Northcote City – Werribee City 1 – 1
Bentleigh Greens – Caroline Springs 0 – 1
Eastern Lions – North Geelong Warriors 2 – 1
Melbourne Victory – Langwarrin 4 – 1
Western United – Brunswick City 1 – 2
Kingston City – Bulleen Lions*
*This match was played on Monday afternoon (22/7)
Preston Lions – Melbourne City**
**This match will be played on Tuesday afternoon (23/7)
VPL1 – TABLE
1. Melb Victory 23 48
2. Northcote 23 42
3. Preston Lions 22 41
4. Western Utd 23 40
5. Langwarrin 22 34
6. Bulleen Lions 22 32
7. Melb City 22 31
8. Bentl Greens 23 31
9. Carol Springs 23 29
10. Eastern Lions 23 27
11. Brunswick City 23 26
12. Kingston 22 25
13. Werribee City 23 17
14. North Geelong 23 14
VPL2 – RESULTS
Pascoe Vale – Boroondara Carey Eagles 1 – 1
Essendon Royals – Brunswick Juventus 5 – 0
North Sunshine Eagles – Altona City 2 – 0
Beaumaris – Melbourne Serbia 0 – 1
Nunawading City – Doveton 2 – 3
Box Hill United – Goulburn Valley Suns 0 – 2
VPL2 – TABLE
1. FC Melb. Serbia 1942
2. Nth Sunsh. Eagles 19 39
3. Altona City 19 34
4. Brun Juventus 19 31
5. Essendon Royals 19 29
6. Pascoe Vale 18 28
7. Boroondara Eagles 19 28
8. Nunawading City 19 21
9. Box Hill 19 20
10. Goulburn Valley 19 16
11. Doveton 18 16
12. Beaumaris 19 9
