All the highlights from the weekend’s NPL Victoria and VPL1 action

Talking Points: South Melbourne sits alone after three rounds, a worry for North Geelong and a bizarre livestream interruption. All the weekend’s highlights.

Max Mikkola in action for South Melbourne

The goals are starting to flow in NPL and VPL1.

There were some bangers hitting twine across the weekend and we’ve picked the best.

Meanwhile, South Melbourne is the only perfect team in the NPL.

In VPL1, Langwarrin and Kingston City continued their impressive starts but Melbourne Victory dropped points, while there’s concern for North Geelong.

Plus, the bizarre reason a club’s livestream was halted.

Check out all the weekend’s highlights below.

HELLAS STAY PERFECT

Just one remains. South Melbourne is on top of the NPL Victoria ladder after a third win from three starts on Monday night. A tense 1-0 win over fellow undefeated club Hume City at Lakeside Stadium kept Hellas’ perfect record intact. In the 73rd minute, a Max Mikkola long throw caused chaos in the box and off-season recruit Nahuel Bonada poked the ball home in a mad scramble on the goalline. Not only does South have a perfect record after three games, Goalkeeper of the Year Javi Lopez also has an unblemished record with three clean sheets. Hellas will look to make it four from four when it travels to Pettys Reserve for a clash with promoted Manningham United.

58:40: GOAL! Melbourne Knights score to make it MKFC 1 : AVFC 3.

Watch live and free at https://t.co/h6s3fuVIqL#NPLMVICpic.twitter.com/71JsWc3HNC

— NPL Victoria (@nplvictoria) February 23, 2024

GOAL OF THE WEEK

A couple of special goals this week but there can only be one winner. And that is … Saif Sakhi’s stunning long-range strike for Melbourne Knights. The goal helped spark the Knights’ late comeback in the 3-3 draw with Avondale. Sitting at the top of the box, Sakhi took the ball from a corner kick, jinked away from two onrushing defenders before burying the ball into the top left-hand corner, giving Tom Manos no chance. Earlier, Blake Carpenter produced a moment of magic with a delightful free-kick from outside the box, while Oakleigh’s Emlyn Wellsmore also sits on the podium with a terrific solo effort, taking the ball on the right wing before dribbling into range and curling the ball home past a defender into the far corner.

SHARKS TITLE CONTENDERS?

Sitting second on the NPL ladder, Port Melbourne has kicked off the NPL season in impressive fashion. On Saturday, the Sharks made it back-to-back wins with a 3-1 result against Moreland City. The sides were locked 1-all at half-time at Murphy Reserve before the home side found another gear. Jesse Barber, Jackson Courtney-Perkins and Ethan Brookes all found the back of the net for Port, while Fletcher Fulton was the lone scorer for Moreland. The Sharks will get a big test next weekend as they visit Hume City on Saturday night. Moreland sits last without a point from three games.

90:27: GOAL! Heidelberg United score to make it DTFC 0 : HUFC 2.

Watch live and free at https://t.co/h6s3fuVIqL#NPLMVICpic.twitter.com/NDZq0zZGjr

— NPL Victoria (@nplvictoria) February 24, 2024

ROAD WARRIORS

Two from two on the road for Heidelberg United this season. The Warriors made the difficult trip to Dandenong and came away with a 2-0 win over the Thunder at George Andrews Reserve on Saturday night. It comes after an away win over Altona Magic in Round 1, while United’s home opener finished in a 1-all draw with Oakleigh Cannons. Jamal Ali opened the scoring for Heidelberg and Eoin Ashton sealed the points with a late strike. The result leaves Thunder pointless through three games, second last on the ladder.

CITY CLAIM CROATIAN DERBY

Reigning VPL1 premier Dandenong City isn’t having any trouble finding the back of the net in the top flight this season. Hadjuk now has nine goals in three games – equal most in the competition alongside Avondale – following a comprehensive 3-1 win over St Albans at Churchill Reserve. Kenny Athiu opened his City account with a brace, while fellow new arrival Valli Cesnik also scored his first of the season. Carter Ramsay was St Albans’ goalscorer. Dandenong faces a massive task on Friday night when it hosts powerhouse Oakleigh Cannons at Frank Holohan Reserve.

GULLY FINDS SCORING TOUCH

After a shaky 1-0 win in Round 1 and a disappointing loss in Round 2, Green Gully found its groove on Friday night against Manningham United. The Cavaliers put the promotion-winners to the sword, claiming a dominant 4-1 win at Gully Reserve. Skipper Taylor Schrijvers opened the scoring and in his return from a red card, Josh Hope found the back of the net, as did Lucas Derrick and Luca Tevere. Chris Theodorakopoulos scored a consolation goal for Manningham and is the joint leading goalscorer in the NPL with three.

KNIGHTS COMEBACK STUNS AVONDALE

Down three goals to nil, Melbourne Knights’ difficult start to the NPL Victoria season looked set to continue on Friday night. However, a dazzling comeback and a stoppage time equaliser ensured the Knights snatched a share of the points against reigning premier and champion Avondale at Knights Stadium. Second half substitute Ciaran Bramwell lifted his team, winning a penalty and scoring the last-gasp 93rd minute equaliser, while he had a shout for a second spot kick contentiously turned down.

CANNONS, MAGIC CALLED OFF

A NPL Victoria men’s match was abandoned at half-time on Sunday after a player was hospitalised. Altona Magic’s Aaron O’Driscoll was taken to hospital after he collided with Oakleigh Cannon’s Alex Salmon in the air as they contested a cross. Footage of the incident showed Magic teammates, most notably goalkeeper Hayden Browne, immediately call for medical attention as O’Driscoll hit the ground in the 45th minute, just seconds out from half-time. The match was abandoned and Football Victoria confirmed it will be replayed in full at a future date.

LIONS ON THE BOARD

After a draw and a loss in a middling start to the season, Preston Lions picked up its first three points with a 2-1 win over Western United on Friday night. After a goalless first half, Connor Bell opened the scoring for the home team just before the hour mark. Aaron Anderson doubled the head, rising highest to head home from a free kick. Bon Scott then made one of the saves of the season to keep United off the board. However, the visitors did score a consolation goal in the 93rd minute as Jake Najdovski turned nicely and found the far corner.

KINGSTON GOES BANG

Kingston City’s 4-1 demolition of Northcote City has taken the club to the top of the VPL1 ladder and top of the goalscoring pile with seven goals. Naim Rahimi had given Kingston a one-goal lead at half-time at John Cain Park before the visitors went up a gear. Rahimi scored a second, while Cooper Legrand and George Gerondaras also found the back of the net. Filimon Asefa was Northcote’s long scorer. Kingston returns to The Grange on Monday night against surprise packet Werribee City, while Northcote City will look to bounce back against Preston Lions in a blockbuster at BT Connor Reserve.

LANGY KEEPS ROLLING, WARRIORS WORRY

Langwarrin’s excellent start to the season – and North Geelong’s worrying start – continued with a 2-1 win to the Lions at Lawton Park. Goals to Langwarrin’s Archibald Macphee and North Geelong’s Sergio Escudero sent the teams into half-time level. The home team would then find the breakthrough in the second half from the penalty spot. Tom Youngs scored the decisive goal to send the Lions joint top of the VPL1 table with two wins and a draw. North Geelong, meanwhile, after suffering relegation last season sits last on the ladder with three defeats. Langwarrin faces Caroline Springs George Cross next weekend, while the Warriors host Bulleen Lions at Elcho Park.

STUNNER SAVES VICTORY

A brilliant long-range strike from Eli Adams secured a point for Melbourne Victory against Bentleigh Greens. After a goalless first half, the Greens took the lead. However, Adams quickly restored parity with a thunderous strike from outside the box, finding the top corner. It ended all square with Victory dropping points for the first time this season and now level with Kingston City and Langwarrin at the top of the table.

BULLEEN SURVIVES AFTER INEXPLICABLE MISS

Eastern Lions’ Charles Slaney will not have slept well on Monday night. A horror miss in the 92nd minute ensured Bulleen Lions claimed a 2-1 win at Veneto Club. As Eastern streamed forward in search of a late equaliser, a perfect cut back found Slaney all alone in front of goal. Sadly, with an empty net beckoning, all he could manage was ballooning the ball over the crossbar. The win is Bulleen’s first of the season and an important response after losing last week. It’s also Eastern’s first loss after starting with back-to-back draws. Dennis Menelaou and Mark Kurita scored for Bulleen, while Omani Leacock was Eastern’s goalscorer.

HOW DOES THIS EVEN HAPPEN?

You have to wonder sometimes. Chalk it up to the craziness of the internet. Bulleen Lions’ livestream of Monday night’s match was “restricted” due to music being played in the background at the Veneto Club. The club’s Facebook page said in a post “First 55 minutes of the stream has been restricted as a result of a copyright claim due to stadium music”. All’s well that end’s well with the stream restarting and running smoothly to the end of the match. Weird one.