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

TALKING POINTS: Heidelberg United continues to be South Melbourne’s kryptonite, Melbourne Knights claim a seven-goal thriller and the fallout from Avondale’s weekend.

Ajdin Fetahagic in action for Heidelberg United. Picture: Josh Chadwick

The NPL Victoria campaign is entering the pointy end of the season.

No result is certain, no result is safe amid a host of dramatic matches over the weekend.

The NPL, VPL1 and VPL2 premiership races remain open, while there is a growing fight for NPL finals spots too.

At the other end of the table, while relegation is uncertainly, no club wants a wooden spoon.

Check out all the major highlights from the weekend’s games.

Plus, a stunning rocket claims Goal of the Week.

HEIDELBERG RE-OPENS TITLE RACE

Heidelberg United continues to be kryptonite for South Melbourne. The Bergers claimed a 1-0 victory at Olympic Village on Sunday afternoon, re-opening the NPL title race with eight matches remaining. Heidelberg held Hellas 1-1 at Lakeside earlier in the season and claimed both meetings last season, 2-0 at Lakeside and 2-1 at the Village. A piece of Asahi Yokokawa brilliance proved the difference. In just the seventh minute of the match, the Japanese import held off a would-be tackler before unleashing an unstoppable bullet into the top right-hand corner. The win all the more meritorious as United played the last 35 minutes with 10 men after Josh Pin was shown a straight red card after tangling with Cooper Halfpenny, giving him a clip to the back of the head as the Hellas defender blocked his space. The result sees Hellas remain five points clear at the top of the table, a gap opened up by Avondale’s loss of three points, with Oakleigh a further point behind and Heidelberg United eight points adrift. South hosts Altona Magic in Round 19, while Avondale welcomes Manningham United, Oakleigh travels to Green Gully and Heidelberg takes on Port Melbourne.

GOAL OF THE WEEK

Some top draw goes to pick from this week. There were some sweet hits in the Dandenong City-Melbourne Knights clash, as Will Bower and Ciaran Bramwell found the back of the net in style, while Port Melbourne’s Jackson Courtney-Perkins was clutch. However, Dandenong Thunder’s Jay Romanovski takes the cake this week. Mersim Memeti plays a hopeful long ball to the right but Kingsley Sinclair wins the defensive header. However, the ball sits up beautifully for Romanovski to smash a first-time volley into the far corner. A superb finish.

61:01: GOAL! St. Albans Saints score to make it MCFC 0 : SASC 1.

Watch live and free at https://t.co/h6s3fuVIqL#NPLMVICpic.twitter.com/7BZJItZNEf

— NPL Victoria (@nplvictoria) June 15, 2024

SAINTS LEVEL WOODEN SPOON FIGHT

While Avondale being stripped of three points had major ramifications at the top of the table, it also has huge implications at the other end of the ladder. Moreland City was awarded a 3-0 victory after the Avengers were found to have fielded an ineligible player, a massive result in the razor-tight wooden spoon race. It also made Saturday’s clash between battlers Moreland and St Albans at CB Smith Reserve all the more significant. And it was the Saints that emerged triumphant. Scott Bakkor provided the pivotal moment in the 62nd minute. The Englishman takes a through ball from Michael Grgic, holds off his defender and slides the ball past the oncoming goalkeeper. The result sees St Albans join Moreland on 10 points but remain bottom on goal difference. Both clubs are only one point behind Manningham United.

THUNDER SHOCK

Fair to say Dandenong isn’t Chris Taylor and his Oakleigh players’ favourite place right now. After being shocked by Dandenong City at home last week, the Cannons were stunned again by Dandenong Thunder at George Andrews Reserve on Saturday. Friend-turned-foe – and newly minted Sri Lanka international – Wade Dekker opened the scoring in the 20th minute and Jay Romanovski doubled the lead just a minute later with a ferocious strike from the edge of the area. Josh Karantz made it three in the 68th minute, pouncing on a loose ball after goalkeeper Nick Feely parried Daniel Dixon’s effort. Oakleigh got a late consolation, ruining Pierce Clark’s clean sheet, with a Joe Guest goal in the 94th minute. The result sees Oakleigh remain seven points behind South Melbourne in the NPL premiership race.

KNIGHTS CLAIM CROATIAN DERBY

A seven-goal thriller in the Croatian derby at Frank Holohan Reserve as Melbourne Knights travelled across town to claim a 5-2 victory over Dandenong City on Saturday. The visitors opened the scoring through Mitch Hore in the 16th minute before Will Bower levelled in the 26th. A stroke of luck gave the Knights a 2-1 half-time lead as Hore’s cut-back bounced off City skipper Jack Webster and into the back of the net. Seconds after coming on as a substitute, Kenny Athiu restored parity in the 57th, scrambling the ball home, but the Knights would take the lead for a third and final time as Ciaran Bramwell smashed a first-time rocket into the roof of the net nine minutes later. Goals to Saif Sahki and Gian Albano made the three points safe as the Knights continue to rebuild their season. Ivan Franjic’s men are now seven points behind Port Melbourne in sixth, with City in between three points ahead.

SHARKS BREAK BLUES HEARTS

Not only did Port Melbourne’s Jackson Courtney-Perkins claim our Goal of the Week with his 94th minute strike, he also broke Manningham United hearts. The late, late goal ensured a 2-2 draw at Pettys Reserve, capping a wild second half. The two teams had gone into half-time scoreless before the floodgates opened. Fraser Dunlop opened the scoring – and his 2024 account – with a beautifully hit effort in the 50th minute. It was level in the 64th as Ali Turgut found himself in acres of space in the box. Ben Everson put the Blues in front just eight minutes later but it wasn’t to be for the home team. Courtney-Perkins took a long ball from Eoghan Stokes, turned his defender inside-out and curled the ball home in the 94th minute in a dramatic finish.

93:45: GOAL! Port Melbourne Sharks score to make it MUFC 2 : PMSC 2.

Watch live and free at https://t.co/h6s3fuVIqL#NPLMVICpic.twitter.com/pBa4aEXoVn

— NPL Victoria (@nplvictoria) June 15, 2024

AVONDALE LOSS, AVONDALE WIN

Friday – docked three points for fielding an ineligible player. Saturday – thump NPL Victoria finals rival Hume City 5-0 despite missing several key players. Football Victoria confirmed on Friday afternoon Avondale would be stripped of its Round 17 win over Moreland City after an investigation found it had fielded an ineligible player. The result was subsequently over-turned and a 3-0 win awarded to Moreland. Less than 24 hours later, the Avengers returned to the pitch to produce arguably one of their strongest performances of the year to crush Hume City. In his return from injury, Kristian Trajceski scored, as did Kur Kur and Stefan Zinni and while only coming on in the 85th minute youngster Jacob Thomas Chinnama scored a brace.

NORTHCOTE ENDS GREENS’ CAMPAIGN

Northcote City boosted its VPL1 premiership hopes while all but ending Bentleigh Greens’ promotion chances with a 2-0 victory at John Cain Reserve on Friday night. Michael Domfeh jumped to the top of the league scoring charts with a brace, hitting the back of the net either side of half-time. In a hotly contested premiership race, Northcote sits third, now six points behind Melbourne Victory and one point behind Western United. Bentleigh remains in fifth, for now, but is 10 points behind Northcote and seven in arrears of Preston Lions, who have a game in hand. The Greens’ -3 goal difference is ranked seventh.

VICTORY ESCAPE

North Geelong played arguably its best game of the season but it wasn’t enough to topple league-leader Melbourne Victory at Elcho Park on Saturday. Victory made the ideal start, taking the lead in the seventh minute thanks to Adem Duratović. The Warriors were level on the half-hour mark through George Elliss but couldn’t hold on until half-time as Alex Menelaou set up Tommaso Minutoli for a 2-1 lead. However, it didn’t last long as Salou Jallow found a second equaliser shortly after the restart. Both teams chased a winner and it was the Victory who succeeded. Former Melbourne Knights frontman Luka Kolic finding the goals in his return to the line-up. The nail-biting win sees the A-League academy team retain a five-point lead at the top of the ladder over Western United.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Two games will round out Round 18 of VPL1 action on Monday night. Kingston City, fresh off Australia Cup disappointment, will host premiership contender Preston Lions at The Grange. The Lions are looking to keep pace with rivals Melbourne Victory, Western United and Northcote City. Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Bulleen Lions tackles Caroline Springs George Cross, also on a short turnaround after a mid-week Cup loss, at the Veneto Club. A win would see the Lions jump up to fifth.

UNITED STUNS ROYALS

The Kings of the late comeback this season, Essendon Royals copped a measure of their own medicine on Friday night. Box Hill United rallied from a goal down to pinch a 2-1 victory at Cross Keys Reserve thanks to a 82nd minute winner. Dean Clarke had put the Royals in front after only 10 minutes and the home team held sway for much of the next hour. However, Pythagoras found another gear late. Augustin Casco teed up Ruben Sanchez Marcano for the equaliser after 76 minutes and just six minutes later they were in front. Luke Pickett, the hero, pouncing on a loose ball from a corner. The defeat sees Essendon fall to seventh on the VPL2 ladder, while Box Hill is only one point behind in eighth.

SHARKS, EAGLES HOLD LEADERS

Neither North Sunshine nor FC Melbourne could get the job done on Saturday, both held to 1-1 away draws by Beaumaris and Boroondara-Carey respectively. The Eagles will be particularly disappointed having beaten the Beaumaris 3-1 earlier in the season and the Sharks reduced to 10 men with Gianluca Pizzirani sent off. North were forced to come from a goal down in the second half to rescue a point, Jonathan Creamer scored for Beaumaris, while Ryan Stewart equalised for the Eagles. FC Melbourne, meanwhile, was playing its second game in four days after winning its Australia Cup tie mid-week. Srbija too conceded in the first half before finding a leveller in the second against a 10-man opposition after Sean Vah was sent off. Connor McDonald opened the scoring and Tom Lakic equalised. The pair remain locked on 30 points at the top of the table, now one point ahead of Brunswick Juventus and three points clear of Altona City.

AND JUVENTUS TAKES ADVANTAGE

While North Sunshine and FC Melbourne were held to draws – Altona City too – Brunswick Juventus claimed a 1-0 win over Doveton to jump back into the premiership conversation. The Zebras are now just one point behind the ladder-leaders after Nick Symeoy secured a critical three points at CB Smith Reserve on Friday night. Symeoy somehow found the back of the net through a congested penalty box in the 28th minute.