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

TALKING POINTS: Melbourne Victory won’t stand for a repeat of fans’ behaviour in Shepparton, while Marcus Schroen has a match-winning milestone and Nunawading City’s stunning upset.

Marcus Schroen celebrates his goal for Preston Lions. Picture: Matt Johnson

After a two week hiatus, Talking Points is back.

Apologies for the absence and we’ve missed some cracking NPL and VPL football in that time.

Over the weekend there were some stunning results and eye-catching goals.

There were wild finishes, jaw-dropping upsets and plenty more.

Check out all the highlights from around the grounds.

🚨🟡 NPLMVIC GOAL! 52:54: Port Melbourne Sharks score to make it DTFC 2 : PMSC 1.

Watch live and free at https://t.co/SD1KcDDDwUpic.twitter.com/9y4mUCLRoS

— NPL Victoria (@nplvictoria) April 5, 2025

VICTORY LAYS DOWN THE LAW

After a group of Melbourne Victory supporters again brought negative coverage of the club, Victory sent a pointed email to all members last week. Managing director Caroline Carnegie made it clear the club would not stand for the type of behaviour members of the North Terrace displayed at a recent NPL Victoria match in Shepparton. In an email to members, Carnegie said small groups were again damaging the club, saying the behaviour did not reflect the club’s values, damaged the club’s reputation, disrespected the players and had resulted in Football Victoria and Football Australia investigations. “During our NPL Round 8 fixture in Shepparton extreme anti-social behaviour was displayed, including homophobic slurs, which are not reflective of our values, and is completely unacceptable,” she said. “There is no place at Melbourne Victory for individuals who show a clear disregard for supporting our teams, the culture we have worked hard to build or the inclusive environment we are committed to fostering. “Our members and fans contribute to a unique atmosphere, bringing unrivalled energy and noise to our matches, which everyone at the club is not only appreciative of but also proud of. “However, if this atmosphere is interfered with by any small group which as a result, compromises the safety or enjoyment of other members, fans, our teams or the club itself or shifts focus from supporting Melbourne Victory to individual agendas that are damaging to not only our club but the growth and support of football then the club will take all steps necessary to address this. “We are committed to maintaining the best possible and inclusive environment for everyone at all our matches – with further information to be provided once the investigations are complete.” Melbourne Victory hosts St Albans on Monday night at the Home of the Matildas in Bundoora, with high-level eyes set to be firmly on the club.

BUT THEY’RE FIRING ON THE FIELD

While things are rocky off the field, the NPL team is running red-hot. A 3-2 win over St Albans on Monday night has seen the A-League club’s academy team jump up to sixth on the ladder. Victory is now eight points behind second-placed Oakleigh Cannons after three wins in four matches. The team went winless through the opening five rounds but has since found its feet at the level. Daniel Lazarevski, Patrick Wall and Jorday Hoey all found the back of the net for Victory in the win at the Home of the Matildas. The team will now face high-flying Preston Lions in a blockbuster Monday night clash at their Bundoora home.

🚨BREAKING🚨 Gustav Moller has departed South Melbourne FC and returned back to Denmark. pic.twitter.com/a2UQja4S5v

— Mark Ivkovic (@mivkaa) April 7, 2025

HELLAS RECRUIT EXITS

South Melbourne has lost international recruit Gustav Møller. The towering Danish striker joined the club in January but is heading home after an underwhelming start to life at Lakeside Stadium. Moller hasn’t played since the March 31 loss to Dandenong City when he was substituted off in the 37th minute. He made eight appearances for Hellas and scored two goals, including a last-minute equaliser in a 3-3 draw with Melbourne Victory. South Melbourne hasn’t won an NPL match in seven outings, dating back to Round 2, drawing three and losing four in that time to sit 10th on the ladder. The reigning premier is expected to be one of the major players when the mid-season transfer window opens with the club also set to compete in the new Australian Championship in October.

WARRIORS FIRE

If you were late to Olympic Park on Friday night you would have missed the early fireworks display. Jamal Ali put Heidelberg United in front after only four minutes and Kasper Hallam levelled the scores just three minutes later in a frantic opening. There wasn’t another score for the half. Chasing a fourth consecutive win, the Warriors found another gear after the break. Sebit Ngor restored the host’s lead just six minutes after the restart. Anthony Lesiotis made it 3-1 just after the hour mark and Peter Klaasen put a cherry on top an impressive win in the 80th minute from the penalty spot. Heidelberg is third on goal difference, five points back of ladder-leader Avondale.

SCHROEN CELEBRATES IN STYLE

Preston Lions skipper Marcus Schroen marked his 200th NPL Victoria appearance with a match-winning performance. The star forward scored the winning goal, the only goal of the match, to mark his milestone in style as the Lions topped Melbourne Knights 1-0 at Knights Stadium. Like in his halcyon days, Schroen jumped strongly to met Stef Nigro’s cross and – after hitting both goalposts – find the back of the net in the 40th minute. “It couldn’t feel better, I’m over the moon,” Schroen told club media. “The support from the club, Dave, Lou and all the boys means the world to me, so to get the goal and three points, it’s a perfect night. “The performance from the boys was great, a clean sheet away from home.” It was a critical performance from Preston after three consecutive defeats, especially after throwing away a point last week against Port Melbourne. The win moves the Lions up to fifth.

GOALS CONTINUE TO FLOW FOR AVONDALE

Another three goals and another three points as Avondale remain five points clear at the top of the NPL Victoria ladder. Dandenong City had no answers to the competition leader, which kept a clean sheet and has conceded just eight goals – equal fewest in the competition. Stef Valentini got the Avengers off to the perfect start at Frank Holohan Reserve, opening the scoring in the eighth minute. Luca Tevere continued his outstanding season, doubling the lead in the 26th. Kur Kur then put a cherry on top the result with a 81st minute penalty that Pierce Clark so very nearly saved.

🚨🟡 NPLMVIC GOAL! 66:57: Oakleigh Cannons FC score to make it HCFC 0 : OCFC 3.

Watch live and free at https://t.co/SD1KcDDDwUpic.twitter.com/NcEX45vHpv

— NPL Victoria (@nplvictoria) April 4, 2025

CANNONS CRUISE

In a heavyweight battle at Broadmeadows Stadium, it was reigning champion Oakleigh Cannons that claimed a resounding 3-0 win over Hume City. After a scoreless first half, an unfortunate own goal from Michael Lazaris broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute. A quick double-strike then put the game to bed. Alex Salmon made it two in the 61st minute and Joe Knowles made it three just six minutes later. The win sees Oakleigh keep pace with Avondale at the top of the table, still five points behind.

THUNDER THE REAL DEAL?

Dandenong Thunder handed Avondale it’s first loss a fortnight ago but came back to Earth with a tough 3-1 defeat to Oakleigh Cannons last week. So how would the club respond? The Thunder delivered a resounding 5-1 win over struggling Port Melbourne at George Andrews Reserve. Top recruit Hassan Jalloh scored a brace, taking him to six goals for the season and just one behind league leader Joe Guest. Jay Romanovski, Kyle Taylor and Sri Lanka international Wade Dekker also found the back of the net in the dominant display. However, the highlight of the match arguably belongs to Shark Delarno Pharoe, who’s 53rd minute free kick whizzed over the wall and into the back of the net from outside the area. A bright spot on a difficult night for Port. Thunder’s win sees them remain in joint second – sitting fourth on goal difference – and five points behind Avondale.

NORTHCOTE TOO GOOD

After back-to-back losses, Northcote City now has back-to-back wins to revive its VPL1 campaign. Hercules thumped high-flying Bulleen Lions 4-1 at John Cain Memorial Park on Friday night. The Lions had opened the scoring through Jamie Mantelos in the 15th minute and almost held that lead to half-time only to see Alun Webb equalised in the 44th minute. It was a different game after the break as first half-time substitute Devin O’Hea gave Northcote the lead then Sam Warde and Webb finished the job. The result sees Northcote move back up to seventh, just a point behind Bulleen in fourth.

BENTLEIGH FLYING

After it’s five-game winning run came to an end last week, Bentleigh Greens responded in style with a 3-0 win over Kingston City. Ayden von Essen gave the Greens a 30th minute lead at Kingston Heath and it looked like it might be enough. But just to make the points safe, Bentleigh found two late strikes through Ryo Okamoto (79th) and Cameron Saul (94th) to seal the points. The win sees Bentleigh keep pace with ladder-leader Melbourne City, sitting in second just two point behind.

SIX MINUTES OF MADNESS

Brunswick City looked headed for a cruisy 2-0 win over Manningham United as injury time approached on Saturday. However, what happened next needed to be seen to be believed. Ned McCarthy and Dylan Allshorn had given Brunswick what looked a comfortable lead. However, Ayouba Kanneh and Maceo Jones scored within minutes of each other to make it 2-2 in the blink of an eye. City responded and Dylan McGlade restored the lead, surely it was game over. No, just as quickly the lead was gone again as Kanneh bagged his second and the match somehow finished in a 3-3 draw. A jaw-dropping finish. “I felt we lost that game,” Brunswick City coach Nick Kyriopoulos said. “A draw is not a loss but for us to be, not just in cruise control, I thought it was a dominant performance and we could have been three or four, even five up. “They get a lucky goal and start pumping balls forward, we make a silly error and it’s two-all.” “Dylan does something brilliant to give us the lead and we just didn’t manage it.”

LAVALE POWERS WESTERN

Western United hit Eastern Lions for six at Ironbarks Field on Saturday. In a dominant display, the A-League Academy had four on the board before half-time and continued the onslaught in the second half. Oli Lavale hadn’t scored a goal this season but opened his account in style, bagging himself a hat-trick. Victor Muhindo scored a brace, while Shifa Ahmed also found the back of the net for his first of the year. It continues Western’s goalscoring dominance this season, now with 27 for the season. United sits third on the VPL1 ladder, six points behind leader Melbourne City, while Eastern drops to the bottom of the table on goal difference.

ELIBOL HATTY LIFTS EAGLES

Kaan Elibol produced a man-of-the-match performance, netting a superb hat-trick to fuel North Sunshine Eagles’ win over FC Melbourne on Saturday. In the first clash between the two since they stepped up from VPL2 last year, it was the runner-up that knocked off the reigning premier 3-0. Elibol was the star, opening the scoring in the 50th minute before hitting the back of the net again in the 67th and 79th to wrap up the three points. It was a critical game for both sides which sit in the bottom half of the ladder. However, the win takes North Sunshine to ninth on 10 points, while Srbija is still chasing its first win this season and sits 12th, above the relegation zone only on goal difference.

CITY COMEBACK

Melbourne City remains top of the table in VPL1 but had to do it the hard way against Langwarrin on Sunday. Langy took a half-time lead at Casey Fields thanks to Tom Youngs. However, City came out firing in the second half, first equalising through Marcus Humbert. Arion Sulemani gave the hosts their first lead and Akeem Gerald sealed the points late on. The result keeps City undefeated on the season and two points clear on top as it hunts promotion to NPL for the first time.

BACK-TO-BACK BEES

The season was off to a shaky start at Werribee, with one win in the opening six matches. However, the Bees have bounced back smartly in the last two weeks with back-to-back wins. The 1-0 win over North Geelong on Friday night sees the club jump up to eighth and away from any immediate threat of consecutive relegations. John Mabok opened the scoring in the eighth minute of the match and it proved decisive. It was the first clash since the two teams suffered relegation last year and the result moves Werribee to within three points of the Warriors in seventh.

NUNAWADING STUNS REDBACKS

Nunawading City is on the board in the most unlikeliest of ways. The bottom-placed VPL2 team stunned ladder-leader Eltham Redbacks 4-3 on Friday night – at North Eltham Reserve if you don’t mind. The visitors stormed out of the blocks and took a 3-1 lead at half-time thanks to goals from Santiago Lupino, Nick Apostolopoulos and Stuart Edgar. However, Eltham hit back hard after the break and goals from Billy Romas (his second) and Temor Foryabee quickly levelled the scores. However, there was one final twist as Alex Kubenko found the match winner for Nunawading in the 79th minute. A memorable win.

ZEBRAS PIP UNITED

With Eltham slipping up, Brunswick Juventus took full advantage. The Zebras were made to work for it but a 3-2 win over Whittlesea United at Epping Stadium on Friday night sees them move joint top of the ladder. Theo Aresti gave the visitors a 1-0 half-time lead. However, Lewis Shannon quickly had United back on level terms after the break. Parity didn’t last long though, about a minute in fact, as Rin Takagi restored Brunswick’s lead. Greg Siamoa doubled the advantage on the hour mark to seal the three points. Marcus Day scored a late consolation goal for Whittlesea in injury time.

RED-HOT WHITE EAGLES

After a difficult start to the season, Springvale White Eagles have found their feet in VPL2 and are charging up the ladder after a second straight win. The 2-0 victory over Boroondara-Carey at Serbian Sports Centre on Friday night sees the club sit sixth, now just two points behind third-placed Essendon Royals. Goran Zoric gave the hosts the perfect start, opening the scoring in the ninth minute of the match. Vojislav Milojevic then sealed the three points in the 73rd.

SUNS’ HIGH FIVE

Goulburn Valley has revived its VPL2 campaign with a thumping 5-0 win over Geelong. After two draws and a loss, the Suns had slipped down the ladder but they responded in style at John McEwen Reserve on Saturday. Brandon Giaccherini got the party started in the 11th minute and finished with a brace, while Callum Schorah also bagged two goals. Laywi Niyonkuru also found the back of the net in the rout. The result sees the Suns keep pace with the competition leaders, sitting fifth on 14 points, just two behind Essendon Royals in third. With a match against struggling Box Hill on the horizon, the club will be looking to continue its momentum.