This weekend was manna from heaven for all football enthusiasts. The flawless skies, packed stadiums, and jaw-dropping goals came together like a beautiful symphony of football for two glorious days.
Port Melbourne – South Melbourne
The much-anticipated showdown between neighboring Port Melbourne and South Melbourne did not disappoint.
South Melbourne made the short journey to face the very dangerous this season, Sharks.
The home team started strong with an impressive free kick by Eoghan Stokes, just 2 minutes into the game. But the visiting team, missing their top scorer Sawyer, quickly responded with a brilliant goal from Bonada.
Both teams fought hard, but struggled to find the perfect finishing touch.
In the 56th minute, Mikkola set up Marshall for an easy header and the visitors took the lead, much to the chagrin of the home team. And just to rub it in, Bonada struck again in the 67th minute, giving his team a cozy two-goal cushion.
But Port Melbourne refused to back down and managed to score one of their own in the 75th minute, courtesy of Nathan Hancock.
In a desperate attempt to equalize, Port Melbourne went all out in the closing minutes, but the visitors once again showed off their impressive defensive skills and foiled any potential threats.
Hume City – Heidelberg United
Heidelberg United couldn’t quite conquer the fortress of Hume City, despite putting up a valiant fight. They even took the lead twice, but the home team’s relentless pressure in the dying minutes left them with only a measly point to show for their efforts.
It was the “yellow and black” team who drew first blood, thanks to Benjamin Collins’ sneaky goal right before halftime. But the hosts weren’t going to let that slide, as they quickly responded in the second half with a header from Bingham that left the “helpless” Sozer in shambles.
But just when things looked bleak for United, their coach John Anastasiadis pulled out all the stops and made some clever changes. And it paid off when their star player, Asahi Yokokawa, pulled off a jaw-dropping long shot to put them back in the lead in the 85th minute.
Unfortunately, the “reds” had a few tricks of their own, and they managed to snatch the win away from United’s grasp in the 91st minute.
A well-placed corner kick and Gulevski’s close-range equalizer was enough to leave the “mighty” Heidelberg United crying on the field.
Melbourne Knights – Oakleigh Cannons
The Cannons had a cakewalk at the Melbourne Knights’ turf, despite what the score indicates.
With the leadership of seasoned coach Chris Taylor, they dominated the game right from the get-go, exhibiting top-notch teamwork. Greek Australian, Jacob Eliopoulos, netted the sole goal, making the Knights’ defense look like a hot mess.
Thanks to this victory, the Cannons have bumped up the table, closing in on the top dogs.
Next up, they’ll face Moreland, but let’s be real, the vastly superior Cannons will probably breeze past them without breaking a sweat.
Matchday 11 brought us another two top-notch games to feast our eyes on: Green Gully’s surprising triumph on Avondale’s turf, reigning champs, with a cool 1-0 scoreline, as well as Dandenong City’s victorious clash against Manningham, finishing with a spicy 3-2 score, courtesy of Greek Aussie George Lambadaridis and his two striking goals.
VPL1
Northcote City reigned supreme in the “Greek” derby this matchday as they outplayed Brunswick City in a game that oozed with legacy.
The hosts delivered tantalizing, immaculate football and emerged victorious with a 2-1 scoreline.
Coming in at number four on the table is the renowned Pancyprios, led by the masterful George Katsakis.
Under his guidance, Bentleigh Greens have bounced back in an impressive fashion, easily besting Melbourne City on Friday evening. The “greens” were a force to be reckoned with throughout the game and sealed the deal with a goal from Abandelwa in the 57th minute.
As the match was about to commence, we got the chance to chat with none other than John Ioannou, who recently left Oakleigh Cannons for Bentleigh Greens.
“At Pancyprios, I have spent 15 wonderful years. When my good friend, George Katsakis, asked me to help, I could not refuse. I am here to help bring this great club back to where it belongs” said Ioannou.
North Geelong defeated Kingston City. Even though Clarinda gave their all on the pitch, they ultimately left Geelong with a 2-1 loss.
VPL2
Box Hill United met a crushing defeat at the hands of Melbourne Srbija, proving that even Pythagoras couldn’t calculate their way to victory.
The visitors brought their A-game, leaving Box Hill with a 1-0 victory. Looks like determination beats beauty in this game.
NPL – RESULTS
Melbourne Knights – Oakleigh Cannons 0 – 1 (16′ J. Eliopoulos)
Avondale – Green Gully 0 – 1 (65′ T. Schrijvers)
Moreland City – Altona Magic 2 – 3 (14′ A. Ukuno, 75′ J. Arancibia – 41′ N. Sehavdic, 76′ D. Anastovski, 83′ J. Rezai)
Dandenong Thunder – St Albans Saints 3 – 0 (12′ M. Memeti, 16′ W. Dekker, 90+2′ Goal)
Manningham United – Dandenong City 2 – 3 (37′ R. Dufton, 76′ B. Everson – 4′ G. Lamparinidis, 31′ J. Webster, 63′ G. Lamparinidis)
Port Melbourne Sharks – South Melbourne 2 – 3 (2′ E. Stokes, 75′ N. Hancock – 4′ N. Bonada, 55′ J. Marshall, 66′ N. Bonada)
Hume City – Heidelberg United 2 – 2 (65′ J. Bingham, 90+1′ J. Gulevski – 45+4′ B. Collins, 85′ A. Yokokawa)
NPL – TABLE
Teams Matches Points
1. South Melbourne 11 29
2. Heidelberg Utd 11 23
3. Avondale 11 23
4. Hume City 11 23
5. Oakleigh Cannons 11 22
6. Port Melb Sharks 11 18
7. Dand City 11 16
8. Altona Magic 11 13
9. Melb Knights 11 11
10. Green Gully 11 11
11. Dand Thunder 11 11
12. Manningham 11 9
13. St. Albans 11 7
14. Moreland 11 0
VPL1 – RESULTS
Preston Lions – Werribee City 5 – 0
Northcote City – Brunswick City 2 – 1
Bentleigh Greens – Melbourne City 1 – 0
North Geelong Warriors – Kingston City 2 – 1
Melbourne Victory – Bulleen Lions 5 – 2
Eastern Lions – Caroline Springs George Cross 2 – 1
Western United – Langwarrin 7 – 0
VPL1 – TABLE
Teams Matches Points
1. Melb Victory 11 29
2. Northcote 11 22
3. Preston Lions 11 21
4. Bentl Greens 11 19
5. Western Utd 11 19
6. Langwarrin 11 17
7. Brunswick City 11 16
8. Bulleen Lions 11 16
9. Kingston 11 14
10. Eastern Lions 11 11
11. Carol Springs 11 9
12. Melb City 11 7
13. Werribee City 11 6
14. North Geelong 11 4
VPL2 – RESULTS
Box Hill United – FC Melbourne Srbija 0 – 1
Pascoe Vale – Altona City 0 – 1
Essendon Royals – Nunawading City 2 – 1
North Sunshine Eagles – Brunswick Juventus 1 – 0
Beaumaris – Boroondara Carey Eagles 2 – 2
Goulburn Valley Suns – Doveton 3 – 0
VPL2 – TABLE
Teams Matches Points
1. Altona City 7 17
2. Nth Sunsh. Eagles 7 15
3. Brun Juventus 7 15
4. Essendon Royals 7 15
5. FC Melb. Serbia 7 14
6. Boroondara Eagles 7 11
7. Nunawading City 7 10
8. Pascoe Vale 7 9
9. Box Hill United 7 6
10. Goulburn V. Suns 7 4
11. Beaumaris 7 1
12. Doveton 7 0
