South Melbourne Hellas showed their resilience, digging deep to secure a hard-fought three points against Melbourne Victory in a match brimming with intensity and physical battles across the pitch. The home side had the fortune of seeing some of their biggest names in top form, a factor that ultimately tipped the scales in their favour.
Hellas struck first, with Jankovic finding the back of the net in the 10th minute. However, the visitors turned the game on its head, netting twice in the 30th and 39th minutes to take the lead in the first half. Just when things looked grim and a dark cloud began to loom over Lakeside Stadium, one of Hellas’ most talented players stepped up to level the score and set the tone for the rest of the match. Max Mikkola equalised in the 55th minute, sparking enthusiasm and optimism among the small but passionate group of Hellas supporters who braved the Sunday afternoon to cheer on their side.
The comeback was complete in the 66th minute when Bonada fired home to put Hellas ahead. Marshall sealed the memorable victory in the 85th minute, putting the icing on the cake for a South Melbourne Hellas side that has endured its fair share of struggles this season. With this win, the Greek-Australian outfit climbed to tenth in the league table, now three points clear of eleventh-placed St Albans.
When Oakleigh Cannons are firing on all cylinders, few teams in the NPL can match them. That’s exactly what Chris Taylor’s side proved once again on Friday night. The hosts welcomed Port Melbourne Sharks with one clear goal: wrap up the match early and enjoy a stress-free evening. And they did just that.
They broke the deadlock in the 10th minute through the in-form Kingsley Sinclair, setting the tone early. The second goal came from the night’s standout, Oakleigh’s centre-forward Alex Salmon. The English striker worked his magic in the Port Melbourne box, doubling the lead before the half-hour mark with ease.
The Cannons didn’t take their foot off the gas, adding a third through Connor Hampson just before the break. That goal effectively killed off the contest, turning the second half into a formality.
The second half saw a shift in tempo. With the result in the bag, Oakleigh’s players focused on conserving energy for the tough road ahead, knocking the ball around in midfield. The only change came on the scoreboard. In the 82nd minute, Thomas Alisandratos pulled one back for the Sharks with a classy, curling strike from outside the box to beat the Cannons’ keeper.
But Alex Salmon wasn’t done. In the 87th minute, the star striker weaved through the defence and slotted home a clever finish to seal a 4–1 rout. This emphatic win brought the reigning champions closer to the top of the table, filling their fans with optimism. Oakleigh are back to playing the kind of football that landed them the Victorian crown last season.
A horror start cost Heidelberg United dearly as they slipped up against St Albans Saints. The hosts were nowhere to be seen in the opening 20 minutes, and by the time they woke up, they were already 0–2 down, courtesy of goals from Joseph Monek and Juan Colina in the 10th and 16th minutes.
Coach John Anastasiadis didn’t hold back post-match: “That first 15 minutes was probably our worst this season. The lads are human, and they’re allowed an off day. After the early shock, they lifted, created massive chances, and fought with everything to turn it around. They gave their all, and I can’t fault them for the 2–2 draw. That’s football. We move on to the next one.”
The man who salvaged a point for Heidelberg was none other than the talented James Ngor. The number 11 bagged two cracking goals in the 32nd and 81st minutes, ensuring the “yellow and blacks” walked away with a draw.
The 2–2 result was a stumble for Heidelberg, knocking them off the top spot. Avondale, despite going 0–1 down to Melbourne Knights, found the grit to turn it around and romped to a 5–1 win. Now, the Greek-Australian side will regroup for a massive clash against Preston Lions next week.
VPL1
Bentleigh Greens are doing something right this season, and the football gods are rewarding them. The “Greens” came away from Eastern Lions’ ground with a hard-fought 0–1 win, reclaiming top spot. It was a gritty, tight match packed with intensity and moments of brilliance. The visitors showed their fight from the off, scrapping for every ball, and it paid off. The star of the show was the quality Ayden Von Essen, who netted the only goal in the 41st minute.
Kingston City let their fans down again this weekend. The “red and whites” travelled to Langwarrin on Saturday for a crucial six-pointer, sitting just one point above their hosts in the table. By the final whistle, Langwarrin had turned the tables, winning 3–1. The historic Clarinda-based side now find themselves second-bottom, just above Moreland City.
Brunswick City struggled to find any positives in their match against Western United. The “Black and Greens” dominated the full 90 minutes, scoring three impressive goals and securing three crucial points.
VPL2
Box Hill United’s Pythagoras took a massive breath of fresh air on Friday night. The Greek Australian side faced Nunawading away in a must-win clash. They delivered in style, leaving with a 0–1 victory and three vital points. The result sparked optimism among fans desperate to avoid the threat of relegation to the State League.
NPL – Results
Heidelberg United – St Albans Saints 2–2 (32′, 81′ J. Ngor – 10′ J. Monek, 16′ J. Colina)
Dandenong City – Dandenong Thunder 1–2 (90+2′ D. Clark – 75′ A. Sulemani, 90+8′ Y. Uchida)
Oakleigh Cannons – Port Melbourne Sharks 4–1 (10′ K. Sinclair, 29′, 87′ A. Salmon, 44′ C. Hampson – 82′ T. Alisandratos)
Hume City – Green Gully 3–2 (17′ H. Ascroft, 40′, 55′ R. Harker – 37′ A. Bayew, 45+3′ E. Kifle)
Avondale – Melbourne Knights 5–1 (38′, 70′ Y. Ahmed, 45+3′ M. Aguek, 65′ C. Cuba, 90+3′ D. Edwards – 29′ S. Lawless)
Altona Magic – Preston Lions 0–2 (67′ J. Markovski, 79′ L. Brooks)
South Melbourne – Melbourne Victory 4 – 2 (15′ M. Jankovic, 55′ M. Mikkola, 66′ n . Bonada, 85′ J. Marshall – 30′ J. Hoey, 39′ J. Mihailidis [p])
NPL – Standings
Team | Matches | Points
1. Avondale | 16 | 39
2. Heidelberg | 16 | 38
3. Oakleigh Cannons | 16 | 34
4. Dandenong Thunder | 16 | 33
5. Preston Lions | 16 | 28
6. Hume City | 16 | 27
7. Dandenong City | 16 | 23
8. Green Gully | 16 | 21
9. Altona Magic | 16 | 17
10. South Melbourne | 16 | 15
11. St Albans Saints | 16 | 12
12. Melbourne Victory | 16 | 12
13. Port Melbourne Sharks | 16 | 10
14. Melbourne Knights | 16 | 9
VPL1 – Results
Eastern Lions – Bentleigh Greens 0–1
Langwarrin – Kingston City 3–1
Caroline Springs George Cross – Bulleen Lions 4–0
Melbourne Srbija – Manningham United Blues 5–0
Moreland City – North Sunshine Eagles 2 – 3
Western United – Brunswick City 3 – 1
Melbourne City – Northcote City (To be played on 12 July)
VPL1 – Standings
Team | Matches | Points
1. Melbourne City | 15 | 35
2. Bentleigh | 16 | 35
3. George Cross | 16 | 33
4. Bulleen Lions | 15 | 26
5. Western United | 15 | 25
6. Northcote | 15 | 25
7. Brunswick | 16 | 25
8. North Sunshine | 16 | 21
9. Manningham | 16 | 21
10. Melbourne Srbija | 16 | 17
11. Eastern Lions | 16 | 14
12. Langwarrin | 16 | 13
13. Kingston City | 16 | 11
14. Moreland City | 16 | 8
