Oakleigh Cannons claimed victory in a fiery derby against a heavily depleted South Melbourne side at Lakeside Stadium. The match had it all: penalties, a red card, goals, and fierce battles across every inch of the pitch.
The game exploded into controversy just two minutes in with a refereeing decision that will spark plenty of debate. Oakleigh’s attacking midfielder Kasumovic won a penalty, prompting a chorus of boos from the half-empty South Melbourne stands—and not without reason. Replays clearly showed Kasumovic falling over the legs of a South Melbourne defender, rather than the other way around.
Joe Guest stepped up and, though he couldn’t beat Lopez at the first attempt, he calmly slotted home the rebound to make it 0–1 just four minutes into the blockbuster derby.
In the 16th minute, Oakleigh were reduced to 10 men after a reckless challenge by Alex Salmon, who crashed into Jankovic with excessive force and intent. The two players had clashed verbally moments earlier, which seemingly provoked the English striker’s reaction, earning him a straight red card.
As he left the pitch, Salmon exchanged heated words and gestures with the home crowd, pouring fuel on the already blazing derby atmosphere.
The second half began much like the first—with another penalty for the visitors. This time, the referee’s call was unquestionable. Guest made no mistake, converting with ease to double Oakleigh’s lead at 0–2 in the 49th minute.
From there, South Melbourne fought to claw their way back but repeatedly ran into the defensive wall erected by Chris Taylor’s men. The hosts managed only a consolation goal through Robert Harding in the 57th minute, reducing the deficit to 1–2.
The summit of the NPL has turned yellow-and-black. Heidelberg United’s victory over Port Melbourne, combined with Avondale’s heavy defeat, has completely reshaped the top of the table.
The clash between the two Greek Australian sides kicked off with the visitors catching the “yellow-and-blacks” off guard with their attacking intent. In the 18th minute, Port Melbourne squandered a golden chance to take the lead, but three minutes later, Liston Diaz found the net.
Heidelberg’s response was swift. The hosts seized control, pressed Port Melbourne’s defence, and in the 35th minute, Max Bisetto levelled the score.
The pattern of the match didn’t shift much from there. Heidelberg hunted for the winner with relentless pressure, while Port Melbourne clung desperately to the draw. But in the 63rd minute, like a bolt from the blue, the league’s top scorer, Bul Juach, emerged. The United striker proved once again he’s in scintillating form, bagging the match-winning goal that sent Heidelberg soaring to the top of the table.
Under coach Anastasiadis, Heidelberg look more ready than ever in recent years to take the title race to the wire. Time will tell if they can go all the way.
On the flip side, Port Melbourne are sinking deeper into the malaise that has plagued them since the season’s start, culminating in the departure of manager John Markovski last week. The dugout remains vacant for now, and everyone around the club is wondering who will take the reins. As always, we’ll be here to bring you the latest on the Greek Australian outfit.
VPL1
Pancyprios emerged victorious in the derby against Iraklis, delivering a cracking match that had it all: three stunning goals, fierce physical battles, and an unrelenting desire for victory from every player on the pitch. The 2-1 scoreline sent the “greens” home with broad smiles.
Clarinda, meanwhile, couldn’t get the job done against Eastern Lions. The side led by Tagkalakis and Tsolakis fought hard but succumbed to a 3-2 away defeat. After this setback, the “red-and-whites” have slid to 11th on the ladder.
VPL2
Pythagoras continued their campaign with a goalless away draw. The Box Hill outfit travelled to face Altona City, but the match lacked spark, with most of the action confined to the midfield. This result leaves the Greek-Australian side languishing in the lower reaches of the table, just four points above the bottom spot.
NPL – Results
Green Gully – Avondale 5 – 2 (18′ J. Hope, 43′, 45′, 49′ A. Abdallah, 50′ K. Hallam – 35′ M. Aguek)
Heidelberg United – Port Melbourne Sharks 2 – 1 (35′ M. Bisetto, 63′ B. Juach – 21′ L. Diaz)
Dandenong City – Melbourne Victory 3 – 1 (60′, 76′ B. Plant, 83′ V. Cesnik – 35′ P. Wall)
Altona Magic – Melbourne Knights 4 – 0 (6′ D. Fabrizio, 41′ A. Frangie, 63′ C. Theodorakopoulos, 65′ B. Habib)
Dandenong Thunder – Preston Lions 3 – 0 (2′, 4′ B. Djiba, 14′ H. Jalloh)
Hume City – St Albans Saints 3 – 2 (8′ G. Debele, 60′ B. Kirdar, 82′ L. Isgrove – 21′ J. Gulevski, 54′ L. Byrns)
South Melbourne vs Oakleigh Cannons 1 – 2 ( 57′ R. Harding – 4′, 16′ J. Guest [p])
NPL – Standings
1. Heidelberg – 13 matches, 31 points
2. Avondale – 13 matches, 30 points
3. Dandenong Thunder – 13 matches, 29 points
4. Oakleigh Cannons – 13 matches, 28 points
5. Hume City – 13 matches, 23 points
6. Preston Lions – 13 matches, 21 points
7. Dandenong City – 13 matches, 19 points
8. Green Gully – 13 matches, 18 points
9. Melbourne Victory – 13 matches, 12 points
10. St Albans Saints – 13 matches, 11 points
11. Altona Magic – 13 matches, 11 points
12. South Melbourne – 13 matches, 9 points
13. Melbourne Knights – 13 matches, 9 points
14. Port Melbourne Sharks – 13 matches, 7 points
VPL1 – Results
Eastern Lions 3–2 Kingston City
Moreland City 1–2 Manningham United Blues
Northcote City 1–2 Bentleigh Greens
North Sunshine Eagles 2–1 Langwarrin
Melbourne Srbija 0–2 Bulleen Lions
Western United vs Caroline Springs George Cross 0 – 5
Melbourne City vs Brunswick City 4 – 0
VPL1 – Standings
1. Melbourne City – 13 matches, 33 points
2. Bentleigh Greens – 13 matches, 28 points
3. Caroline Springs George Cross – 13 matches, 24 points
4. Bulleen Lions – 13 matches, 23 points
5. Northcote City – 13 matches, 22 points
6. Brunswick City – 13 matches, 22 points
7. Western United – 13 matches, 21 points
8. Manningham United Blues – 13 matches, 17 points
9. North Sunshine Eagles – 13 matches, 15 points
10. Eastern Lions – 13 matches, 14 points
11. Kingston City – 13 matches, 10 points
12. Langwarrin – 13 matches, 10 points
13. Melbourne Srbija – 13 matches, 8 points
14. Moreland City – 13 matches, 8 points
