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Check out all the highlights from the weekend’s NPL and VPL action here

There were goals galore as the VPL2 season kicked off, while St Albans opened its account and Langwarrin continues to shine. Plus, our Goal of the Week.

Ben HigginsBen Higgins
@ben_higgins84
8 min read
March 11, 2024 - 1:30PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
Redouane Sarakh celebrates a goal for North Sunshine Eagles.
Redouane Sarakh celebrates a goal for North Sunshine Eagles.

The VPL2 competition kicked off on the weekend with goals aplenty.

There were opening day wins for promotion winners FC Melbourne and Altona City.

Meanwhile, in the top-flight, St Albans opened its account with a big win.

But the weekend was soured by a disappointing off-field incident saw Oakleigh Cannons and Dandenong Thunder’s game called off.

In VPL1, Melbourne Victory and Langwarrin are duelling at the top of the table.

Check out all the on-field highlights and our Goal of the Week below.

SRBIJA, CITY START IN STYLE

Stepped up into the top echelon of Victorian football, especially when its for the first time in club history. However, FC Melbourne and Altona City had no trouble on Friday night. FC Melbourne, known as Fitzroy City the last time it was at the level, dispatched pre-season fancy Brunswick Juventus 3-0 at CB Smith Reserve. Gun recruit Luka Ninkovic scored a brace, while Marko Basic also found the back of the net in a dream start to the season. Meanwhile, at LaTrobe’s Home of the Matildas’ City humbled Boroondara-Casey Eagles 4-0. The VPL2 debutants were two goals to the good at half-time thanks for Lachlan Smith and Adam Oddo. Goals to Marcus Petricca and Luis Covarrubias doubled the advantage in the second half. The pair will face off in Round 2 when they meet at The Home of the Matildas.

HIGH-FIVE FOR NUNAWADING, NORTH SUNSHINE

The goals flowed for Nunawading City and North Sunshine in the opening round of the VPL2 season. Both clubs had eye-catching 5-0 wins over Beaumaris and Doveton respectively. Nunawading turned on the class in front of the fans at Mahoneys Reserve, going into half-time with a 2-0 lead. Marcelo Arapis and Alex Dimitriou got the home team off to a strong start before Daniel Maclennan netted a second-half hat-trick after being brought on at half-time. Meanwhile, at Waratah Reserve, it was the visitors who went home happy. North Sunshine was 4-0 up at half-time before putting a cherry on top with a fifth in the second half. Reigning golden boot Redouane Sarakh netted a brace, while Nick Epifano, Farah Farah and Corentin Chauve also found the back of the net.

PACO’S PERFECT START

While it was relegated last season, it was back-to-back wins for Pascoe Vale. After winning the last game of last season, the Rams won the first game of the new year in style – a 3-0 triumph over Box Hill United at Wembley Park. Nick Hatzigeogiou found the back of the net, together with off-season additions Daniel Lucente and Joe Piggott. The club will be looking to bounce straight back up to VPL1 this season after two relegations in three seasons.

GOAL OF THE WEEK

Tough decision this week with some cracking contenders. Josh Pin, Aamir Abdullah and Saad Moukacher all scored highlight reel goals over the weekend. Pin’s stunning strike secured Heidelberg United a point against South Melbourne on Friday night. Taking a pass Nick Olsen, Pin never even looks at where the goals are before unleashing an unstoppable rocket into the left-hand corner. The natural goal sense is impressive and for that reason, we’re picking Pin for Goal of the Week. Moukacher can consider himself unlucky after a world-class strike for Altona Magic against Green Gully the same night. Coming in from the left, Moukacher hits a pass from Nuh Sehavdic first time and curls it delightfully into the far right-hand corner. Finally, Abdullah’s free-kick perfection almost secured a point for Hume City against defending premier Avondale. Just outside the penalty area, Abdullah curls the dead ball beautifully from the right to the left, leaving Tom Manos no chance in goal.

SAINTS’ BIG DAY OPENS ACCOUNT

St Albans is on the board in 2024 after a dominant 4-0 win over Moreland City at Churchill Reserve on Sunday night. The result is the Saints’ first three points of the season, while it is Moreland’s fifth straight defeat. A pair of penalties scored by Brian Summerskill gave the home team a two-goal lead at half-time and St Albans finished it off late as Ivan Razumic added a third in the 70th minute and Scott Bakkor finished it off in the 77th. City keeper Alex Kondoleon was lucky to stay on the pitch after giving away both first-half penalties, receiving a yellow card for the first but not the second.

DERBY SPOILS SHARED

South Melbourne and Heidelberg United are two of Australian football’s oldest rivals and Friday night added another exciting chapter. Hellas hit the lead in just the second minute of the match as skipper Harry Sawyer scored his sixth goal in five matches. Sawyer snuck in behind his man to meet Andy Brennan’s cross with authority. The match was level against 20 minutes later as Josh Pin launched one of the goals of the year. Taking a touch, and without even looking at the goals, the Warriors star lashed an unstoppable shot into the net. That’s how it finished with neither side able to find the breakthrough, both retaining their undefeated starts to the season.

CITY COMEBACK TO SQUARE KNIGHTS

Melbourne Knights will rue two points potentially lost on Sunday night. However, Dandenong City will be more than pleased to take a point away from Knights Stadium after a dramatic 2-2 draw. A horror defensive error saw Gian Albano open the scoring in the 14th minute, putting away a rebound after John Hall made a strong first save on Mitch Hore. Albano made it two for individual and team in the 64th minute after an excellent one-two play with Ciaran Bramwell. However, the game changed in just four minutes as Dandenong City equalised with two quick-fire goals. Kenny Athiu poked home after a goalmouth scramble in the 66th minute and Tim Atherinos showed his class to level it up in the 68th. Atherinos steps inside his defender and finds a narrow lane between defenders and Knights keeper Chris Oldfield to hit the back of the net.

PENALTY SAVES AVONDALE

The Avengers are level with arch-rival South Melbourne at the top of the NPL Victoria ladder after a tight penalty call delivered a 2-1 victory over Hume City on Saturday night. With five minutes remaining in the match, Fletcher McFarlane was adjudged to have fouled Adam El Hayek on the edge of the area, and Ioannis Zisis pointed to the spot. Yusuf Ahmed stepped up to convert the penalty and secure an invaluable three points at Broadmeadows Stadium. Earlier, Avondale had taken the lead in first-half stoppage time as Stef Zinni got in behind his defender and cooly slotted past the keeper. Hume equalised with a wonderful free-kick from Aamir Abdullah in the 77th minute but it wasn’t enough.

SHARKS BOUNCE BACK

After suffering a 4-0 defeat last week, Port Melbourne bounced back with a vengeance on Saturday night. The Sharks put newcomers Manningham United to the sword, securing a 3-0 win at Murphy Reserve. Emmanuel Peters scored a brace, while Marc Latsis also got on the scoresheet. Port were one goal to the good at half-time before as Peters showed off his speed to run onto a long ball and slot it home. Latsis doubled the lead just before the hour mark as a perfect through ball from Charlie Leech found him on the charge. Peters then sealed the three points with the third goal in the 70th minute.

MAGIC GOAL SEALS MAGIC COMEBACK

Altona Magic are on the board in 2024 with an eye-catching 4-2 win over NPL Victoria finals fancy Green Gully at Gully Reserve. The Magic staged a memorable comeback to secure its first three points of the campaign, scoring the final three goals of the match to erase a 2-1 deficit early in the second half. Afghani international Jawad Rezai scored a brace, while Bul Juach and Saad Moukachar also found the back of the net. Moukachar’s sealer in the 91st minute is sure to be a Goal of the Year contender as the first-touch shot curled perfectly from the left wing into the right-hand top corner.

VIOLENCE SPILL OVER

Fan violence forced Friday night’s NPL Victoria match between Oakleigh Cannons and Dandenong Thunder to be abandoned. The match was called off early in the second half as the clash between rival spectators spilt onto the pitch at Jack Edwards Reserve. Footage from the sidelines shows at least one fan being knocked unconscious and others being pushed onto the pitch and being led away by police. Oakleigh Cannons was leading the match 2-0 at the time.

PRESTON STORMS HOME

Preston Lions left it late but will feel it deserved its 2-1 over Kingston City on Friday night. Will Baynham and Chok Dau had a number of gilt-edged chances in the first half but couldn’t beat Kingston keeper Ben Nassiep. Cooper Legrand made Preston pay in the 24th minute, scoring with the team’s first shot on goal. However, it didn’t take the Lions long to find the equaliser after half-time. Dau pounced on a rebound to finally find the back of the net. Preston continued to press and with 10 minutes remaining it was Brandon Lauton who found the winner. A deflected shot squeezed inside the right-hand post to send the home fans into a frenzy. Kingston remains third on the ladder after suffering its first loss of the season, while Preston is in sixth.

BRUNSWICK BURSTS BEES’ BUBBLE

Werribee City has had an excellent start to the VPL1 season but had no answers for a red-hot Brunswick City at Dunstan Reserve on Friday night. Welsh import Dylan Allshorn netted a superb hat-trick in the victory, while Austin Wong and Gerrie Sylaidos also found the back of the net. Having scored in the opening two goals of the game, Allshorn now has five goals in five appearances, and sits joint top of the league scoring charts with Western United’s Jake Najdovski. The victory lifts Brunswick up to fifth on the ladder, while the Bees slide to ninth.

NORTHCOTE SNATCH WIN

A horror tackle from Bentleigh Greens’ Tom Strickland handed Northcote City a late, match-winning penalty on Friday night. Trent Skapetis had no trouble slotting home from the spot to claim a 2-1 win at Kingston Heath. The result continued Bentleigh’s horror start to the VPL1 season with a 1-1-3 record. Northcote meanwhile jumps up the ladder with its second win of the season. Earlier, Zac Bates opened the scoring for Northcote only for an unfortunate error by City keeper Brandon Cuminao to gift Bentleigh an equaliser as he let a simple save slip through his fingers. But Cuminao would get a reprieve as the late penalty secured all three points for the visitors.

VICTORY ON TOP

After winning promotion from VPL2 last season with a second-placed finish, Melbourne Victory are looking to go one better in 2024. The A-League club’s reserves sit on top of the ladder, ahead of Langwarrin on goal difference. Victory put four goals past a hapless North Geelong Warriors on Sunday afternoon at Epping Stadium. Jesse Hoey continued his outstanding start to the season with a goal, along with Damien and Matt Bozinovski and Eli Adams. Adams scored a surprise goal, charging down an attempted clearance by the North Geelong keeper with the ball ricocheting off his head and into the net. Victory were three goals up at half-time before adding a cherry on top. While Victory is on top, the Warriors are last, pointless with a -10 goal difference.

LANGY HUMBLES CITY

Langawarrin’s stunning start to the VPL1 season continued on Sunday with a commanding 3-1 win over Melbourne City at Casey Fields. The Lions are now level with ladder-leader Melbourne Victory but sit second on goal difference. Dante Avian opened the scoring for the visitors and Archi Macphee gave them a 2-1 half-time lead. A City own goal sealed the three points in the second half.

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