The NPL’s 8th matchday did not disappoint. Despite Melbourne’s usually temperamental weather, the conditions were mild and the action was top-notch.
The stands were bustling and the majority of the Greek Aussie teams triumphed.
Truly, could we ask for anything more?
Dandenong Thunder – South Melbourne
It seems NPL insiders are losing sleep over who can derail the unstoppable train of South Melbourne, as it bulldozes its way through multiple football pitches with faulty brakes.
Esteban Quintas’ squad flawlessly executed their mission yet again, securing a victory on a battlefield that will surely give their fellow competitors a run for their money.
The away team came out guns blazing, only to fumble three pivotal chances in the opening quarter.
But it was the lucky hosts who managed to net the first goal, courtesy of Corfe in the 24th minute.
The guests felt like they were slapped in the face by the “reds” goal, and failed to react during the remaining minutes of the first half.
The Argentinian coach’s halftime hollerings in South Melbourne truly fueled his players’ fire as they marched onto the field with a fierce determination to conquer the daunting Dandenong and snatch the win.
In a matter of seconds, South Melbourne’s goal-scoring phenom, Harry Sawyer, managed to level the playing field at 1-1 with a penalty kick.
However, the home team’s coach, Adam Piddick, clearly thought he was the one calling the shots as he marched onto the field to dispute the referee’s call.
The match became an all-out brawl as the teams chased after the elusive golden goal, hoping to snag the three points.
In a daring display, the South Melbourne squad notched their goal in the 80th minute thanks to the sharpshooting skills of Ross Archibald.
The Greek Australian team seems to have a talent for triumphing over the toughest opponents, leaving them no chance against their unstoppable winning streak.
Oakleigh Cannons – Port Melbourne Sharks
The Cannons showed the Sharks who’s boss in a fierce and fabulous game.
The Greek Australian teams put on a show at Oakleigh on Friday night (5.4), and boy did they entertain!
The Sharks started strong and could’ve taken the lead if they had better aim, but in the end, the Oakleigh team took over like a boss.
In the 35th minute, they showed off their dominance with a jaw-dropping goal from their captain, Joe Guest.
The Oakleigh player delivered did the one-two with Salmon before effortlessly scoring against goalkeeper Shalamanov with a mesmerizing curling shot from the edge of the box.
Wellsmore had the game in the bag with a 2-0 lead in the 60th minute.
But luck wasn’t just on his side, it was sitting in his lap, sipping a cold one.
He weaved through all the defenders effortlessly and took a shot that used their feet as a trampoline before gracefully landing in the guest team’s net. Talk about a lucky shot!
It was the icing on the cake when Stefano Valentini received the ball on the edge of the box in the 62nd minute and danced past the Port Melbourne defenders as if he trained at a Russian ballet academy.
His epic shot found the back of the net, leaving poor Iliya Shalamanov in a state of utter defeat.
The Oakleigh squad put on quite the show, proving that they’re like fine wine – getting better with each passing week.
Esteban Quintas, the coach of South Melbourne, was seen in the stands of Jack Edwards along with Andrew Maikousis.
Andrikos, son of Maikousis, plays for Port Melbourne. The two men watched as the young striker entered the field in the 73rd minute, but he, unfortunately, could not make an impact.
Heidelberg United – St Albans Saints
Heidelberg United presented an exciting football game to their fans.
John Anastasiadis’ team dominated the game and did not give St Albans a chance to react.
They came onto the field with a determination to win and their aggressive play left no room for doubt. In just the 2nd minute of the game, the Greek Australian , Leo Mazis, scored the first goal.
The 23-year-old striker took advantage of a shaky save by the St Albans goalkeeper and scored with a shot into an open net.
The home team increased their lead not long after.
Their captain and top scorer, Kaine Sheppard, scored the second goal with a superb effort from inside the box.
In the 20th minute, Joshua Pin scored the third goal for the home team with a fantastic effort, demonstrating their unstoppable momentum.
Then, in the 49th minute, the same footballer solidified their lead to 4 – 0 by skillfully placing a penalty kick.
Kaine Sheppard demanded the spotlight in the rest of the game, netting a hat-trick with two more goals in just three minutes. Talk about an epic show-off!
Coach Anastasiades led the re-emerging Alexandros to an emphatic victory, thanks to their convincing performance. The team appears to be well-positioned for success this season.
VPL1
On Friday night Brunswick City triumphed with a 3-1 scoreline, serving the Bullen Lions a defeat on a silver platter.
The visitors may have taken the lead in the 34th minute, but the Leonidas players showed their true colors and left their opponents feeling blue.
Bentleigh Greens’ winning streak unfortunately took a break, much like our gym commitments.
Pancyprios faced off against the Eastern Lions, but it turned out to be more of a cat nap than a roar for the home team.
With only ten players for over 75 minutes, it was basically a game of “the floor is lava” for them. And as the whistle blew, the visiting team walked away with a sweet 3-1 win, leaving the Greens a little green with envy.
The fate of Northcote City was one of defeat, as they were handed a 0-1 loss by Caroline Springs on their own turf.
Despite fighting valiantly and giving it their all, the home team’s composure seemed to disappear whenever they reached the “enemy’s” goal.
The VPL2
The soccer gods were not on Box Hill United’s side this week.
Their trip to battle it out with Brunswick’s Juve squad ended in a disappointing loss. While Box Hill dominated most of the match, their efforts in the final stretch fell short. And in a moment of utter stillness, the opposing team snuck in a goal that sealed their fate.
NPL – RESULTS
Oakleigh Cannons – Port Melbourne Sharks 3 – 0 (35′ J. Guest, 61′ E. Wellsmore, 63′ S. Valentini)
Heidelberg United – St Albans Saints 6 – 0 (3′ L. Mazis, 6′ K. Sheppard, 20′ J Pin, 49′ J. Pin [P], 55′ K. Sheppard, 58′ K. Sheppard)
Dandenong City – Green Gully 1 – 1 (90+5′ Th. Giannakopoulos – 8′ M. Adam)
Manningham United – Melbourne Knights 1 – 2 (22′ A. Castiello – 43′ C. Bramwell, 53′ C. Bramwell)
Avondale – Altona Magic 4 – 0 (5′ K. Kur, 35′ S. Zinni, 71′ S. Zinni, 87′ L. Diaz)
Hume City – Moreland City 3 – 2 (1′ L. Isgrove, 52′ A. Abdallah, 67′ L. Isgrove [P] – 22′ C. Tharjiath, 61′ J. Arancibia)
Dandenong Thunder – South Melbourne 1 – 2 (24′ D. Corfe – 48′ H. Sawyer [P], 80′ R. Archiballd
NPL – Table
Teams Matches Points
1. South Melbourne 8 20
2. Hume City 8 18
3. Avondale 8 17
4. Heidelberg Utd 8 16
5. Oakleigh Cannons 8 16
6. Dand City 8 12
7. Port Melb Sharks 8 12
8. Melb Knights 8 11
9. Dande Thunder 8 8
10. Green Gully 8 8
11. St. Albans 8 7
12. Manningham 8 6
13. Altona Magic 8 4
14. Moreland 8 0
VPL1 – RESULTS
Werribee City – Melbourne Victory 1 – 4
Brunswick City – Bulleen Lions 3 – 1
Northcote City – Caroline Springs George Cross 0 – 1
Bentleigh Greens – Eastern Lions 1 – 3
North Geelong Warriors v Preston Lions 2 – 4
Melbourne City – Western United 3 – 3
Kingston City – Langwarrin*
* This match was played on Monday afternoon (8/4)
VPL1 – TABLE
Teams Matches Points
1. Melb Victory 8 20
2. Langwarrin 7 15
3. Bulleen Lions 8 14
4. Brunswick City 8 13
5. Northcote 8 13
6. Preston Lions 8 12
7. Kingston 7 11
8. Bentl Greens 8 10
9. Western Utd 7 10
10. Carol Springs 8 9
11. Melb City 8 7
12. Eastern Lions 7 6
13. Werribee City 8 16
14. North Geelong 8 0
VPL2 – RESULTS
Brunswick Juventus – Box Hill United 1 – 0
Beaumaris – Essendon Royals 1 – 3
Doveton – Altona City 1 – 2
FC Melbourne Srbija – Nunawading City 2 – 1
Goulburn Valley Suns – Boroondara Carey Eagles 2 – 3
North Sunshine Eagles – Pascoe Vale 2 – 0
VPL2 – TABLE
Teams Matches Points
1. Nth Sunsh. Eagles 4 10
2. Altona City 4 10
3. Pascoe Vale 4 9
4. Bruns. Juventus 4 9
5. Essendon Royals 4 8
6. Boroondara Eagles 4 7
7. Nunawading City 4 6
8. FC Melb. Srbija 4 5
9. Box Hill United 4 2
10. Goulburn V. Suns 4 1
11. Doveton 4 0
12. Beaumaris 4 0
