Check out all the weekend’s NPL and VPL highlights, plus our Goal of the Week

With the National Second Division teetering, NPL and VPL clubs are all of a sudden facing the prospect of relegation. Plus, who wants to win the VPL1 and VPL1 premiership.

Leigh Broxham in action for St Albans. Picture: St Albans SC

We’re in the pointy end of the NPL and VPL seasons.

There is just three matches to go with plenty still to play for across the divisions.

Revelations around the National Second Division’s future could have huge ramifications.

If the promised competition doesn’t go ahead in 2025 it would likely see relegation reinstated and clubs that thought they had a free pass this year go down.

It would also see fewer clubs promoted from VPL1, VPL2 and the State Leagues, narrowing races across a host of competitions on short notice.

Apai Ukuno in action for Moreland City. Picture: Hamish Blair

RELEGATION BACK ON THE MENU

With the National Second Division’s future teetering on the brink, there could be a smaller promotion window and relegation is firmly back on the radar in NPL, VPL1 and VPL2. Clubs were expecting the dreaded drop to be scrapped this year with as many as four Victorian clubs in the frame to join the NSD but Football Australia is looking more and more likely to pull the pin on the promised competition. It would see traditional two-up, two-down relegation instituted for 2024. With three games to go there are several teams in the gun.

NPL

ST ALBANS (19 pts, -29 diff)

MANNINGHAM UNITED (15 pts, -27 diff)

MORELAND CITY (11 pts, -29 diff)

The Saints recent hot streak has seen it move from the bottom of the ladder to safety with three games remaining. It leaves 2023 VPL1 promotion-winner Manningham United and 2022 VPL1 premier Moreland City facing the prospect of relegation. While Moreland’s return to VPL1 is all but confirmed, the Blues can still salvage their season. Manningham will need to beat at least two of Dandenong City, Heidelberg United and Altona Magic in the run home and hope St Albans looses to Dandenong Thunder, Green Gully and South Melbourne. Given the Saints have just knocked off the likes of Heidelberg United and Oakleigh Cannons in recent weeks it might be a bit too much to ask.

VPL1

WERRIBEE CITY (17 pts, -29 diff)

NORTH GEELONG (14 pts, -27 diff)

With three games left in the VPL1 season, relegation looks a foregone conclusion with Werribee City and North Geelong entrenched in the bottom two. The Warriors are certain to go down, suffering back-to-back relegations. The Bees are still a mathematical chance to survive, sitting eight points behind Kingston City but will need everything to beat Preston Lions, Bentleigh Greens and Eastern Lions in the run home.

North Geelong Warriors young gun Raymond Diho. Picture: Mark Wilson

VPL2

BOX HILL UNITED (20 pts, -10 diff)

GOULBURN VALLEY (16 pts, -8 diff)

DOVETON (16 pts, -21 diff)

BEAUMARIS (9 pts, -31 diff)

The race to remain in the NPL/VPL system is red hot with four – and potentially five – teams still fighting for survival. Unfortunately for Beaumaris, seven points in three games looks a bridge too far. However, Doveton’s recent run of form has got it in a position to at least a 50-50 battle with Goulburn Valley. The two teams are locked on 16 points but the Suns have a significant goal difference advantage. Box Hill United is far for safe as well, sitting just four points ahead. Beaumaris faces all three in the final three weeks, while Doveton has the Sharks and Pythagoras, Goulburn Valley must play Pascoe Vale and North Sunshine and Box Hill tackles the Sharks, Doves and eighth-placed Nunawading.

36:30: GOAL! Green Gully score to make it PMSC 1 : GGSC 1.

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

— NPL Victoria (@nplvictoria) July 20, 2024

GOAL OF THE WEEK

We haven’t even looked at any other goals this week. As soon as we saw Gianluca Iannucci’s thunderous strike on Saturday night it was our Goal of the Week. It could even be Goal of the Year, it was that good. The Green Gully star takes the ball on the left wing, the Port Melbourne defence backs off, and Iannucci says thanks very much, unleashing an unstoppable rocket into the far corner. Brilliant.

SAINTS MARCHING ON

What a stunning three weeks it’s been for St Albans. After a 4-0 thumping from Manningham, it looked like the Saints were headed for a bottom-two finish. However, wins over Heidelberg United, Altona Magic and, on Sunday, Oakleigh Cannons has seen the club rocket up the ladder and to expected safety. In his third game since arriving from the UAE, Josh Fowler got the match-winning goal. His first goal in Dinamo colours came in the 17th minute, tucking home Lucas Byrns’ cross after a determined run. St Albans has now kept clean sheets against Heidelberg and Oakleigh, two teams competing in the Australia Cup Round of 32 and hoping to win a NPL championship this season.

CITY SMASH AND GRAB

Just when it looked the NPL Victoria premiership race was done and dusted, Dandenong City go and knock off South Melbourne at Lakeside Stadium in one of the year’s biggest boilovers. Some calamitous Jordon Lampard defending saw City open the scoring in the 37th minute. Damian Iaconis pouncing on a loose ball to beat Will Lejeune. Hellas skipper Harrison Sawyer levelled the scores early in the second half, rising bravely to head home in front of Hadjuk goalkeeper John Hall. Then with time running out, substitute Brad Plant stepped up to take his match-winning moment. In the 87th minute, a through-ball from skipper Jack Webster sprung Plant and he made no mistake slotting past Lejeuene. The victory sees Dandenong hold onto sixth place with Port Melbourne and Melbourne Knights breathing down its neck.

KNIGHTS STILL FIGHTING

Melbourne Knights bounced back strongly on Friday night, snatching a 2-1 win over Altona Magic at Knights Stadium to keep their finals hopes alive. The Knights are two points outside the top-six as Dandenong City stunned South Melbourne and Port Melbourne finally broke its winless run. Gian Albano opened the scoring in the 38th minute, Magic keeper Christian Rossi unable to handle his close-range shot. Ismail Haji brought the visitors level on the hour mark but parity lasted just five minutes. A determined run and superb through-ball from Saif-Eddine Sakhi set Hatim Far free and he cooly finished from the edge of the area.

SHARKS REIGNITE SEASON

Backs against the wall, Port Melbourne is still fighting for a NPL Victoria finals berth. The Sharks reignited their season on Saturday night with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Green Gully at Murphy Reserve. An 86th minute winner from Charlie Leech brightened what had been a dark couple of months for the club. A number of key players walked out in the mid-season transfer window as Port went seven games without a win.

HUME PAIR CHASING SAWYER

Hume City scored a thumping 5-1 win over Manningham United on Saturday. Its star forwards Lloyd Isgrove and Aamir Adbullah remain on the heels of South Melbourne’s NPL-leading goalscorer Harrison Sawyer. Isgrove scored the fifth to put a cherry on top a dominant second half for Hume, taking him to 13 goals for the season. Abdullah finished with a brace and now as 12 goals. Sawyer has 15 to lead the Golden Boot. Josh Bingham and Obiora Eze also found the back of the net for Hume, while Mo Al Saadi was Manningham’s lone scorer.

VICTORY RIGHTS SHIP

After just one win in its past four matches, Melbourne Victory got its VPL1 premiership drive back on track. Now under new coach Luciano Trani, following Joe Palatsides’ move to Europe, the A-League academy team was too good for Langwarrin in a 4-1 win at Broadmeadows Stadium. Kayne Razmovski, Adem Duratovic, Tommaso Minutoli and Marc Petheriotis all found the back of the net in the thumping win. Archi Macphee scored for Langwarrin, while Griffin Bambach was shown a straight red card. Victory is now six points clear on top of the ladder with three games remaining as it chases the title and elevation to NPL.

BEES STING

Northcote City’s premiership hopes look to be in tatters after a surprise 1-1 draw with Werribee City. It all looked to be going right for Hercules when Sam Warde scored a wonderfully taken free-kick to put the home team in front at John Cain Reserve. However, Michael Eagar quickly replied for the Bees, getting a hair on an attempted header to deflect the ball past Brandon Cuminao. Both sides missed several gilt-edged chances to win the game as it ended in the draw. Northcote is now six points behind Melbourne Victory at the top of the table and is facing a fight to win promotion with Preston Lions now one point behind but with a game in hand. National Second Division pending of course.

CITY DAGGER FOR UNITED

Fresh off beating Melbourne Victory, Brunswick City has added the scalp of Western United to its collection. Brunswick claimed a shock 2-1 win at Ironbark Fields on Sunday. The Spartans’ Welsh gun Dylan Allshorn opened the scoring in the 32nd minute before Western hit back just three minutes later through Michael Ruhs. Just as it looked like the points would be split, Gerrie Sylaidos stepped up with an 81st minute winner to continue Brunswick’s late-season revival. Having flirted with a bottom-two finish for much of the year, the Spartans are now 11th, nine points clear of Werribee City in 13th. Meanwhile, Western falls eight points behind Melbourne Victory at the top of the table but remains in the promotion hunt two points behind Northcote and one Preston Lions, which has a game in hand.

SRBIJA KEEP NOSE IN FRONT

An 11th minute Josh Heaton strike has kept FC Melbourne on course for back-to-back premierships. The goal was enough to secure a nervy win over bottom-placed Beaumaris at Beaumaris Reserve on Saturday. The result keeps Srbija three points clear on top of the VPL2 ladder, ahead of North Sunshine. It has also all but sealed promotion with an eight-point gap back to Altona City. However, the road home is difficult with Pascoe Vale, North Sunshine and Essendon Royals in the final three weeks, plus an Australia Cup campaign – starting with South Australian club Modbury Jets on August 6.

EAGLES MAKE IT A TWO-HORSE RACE

North Sunshine’s 2-0 win over Altona Magic has reduced the VPL2 premiership race to a two-horse race. Yusuf Karadag and Redouane Sarakh scored either side of half-time to deliver the Eagles a strong win over third-placed City at Larissa Reserve. Altona’s day soured by a red cards to Andelo Svalina and Jayson Ziro. The result sees FC Melbourne remain three points clear on top with North Sunshine second. Altona City is now eight points behind Srbija and five points behind the Eagles with three games remaining. FC Melbourne and North Sunshine clash in Round 21 at Larissa Reserve in a match that could decide the title.

ROYALS’ HIGH FIVE

There was no need for late-game shenanigans this week as Essendon Royals piled on five goals against Brunswick Juventus. The Royals were ruthless at Cross Keys Reserve on Friday night. Dean Clarke and Jordan Adeyemi finished with braces, while Marcus Kotronis also found the back of the net. The result officially put a line through the Zebras’ premiership and promotion hopes.

SUNS SEASON-SAVING WIN?

Did Goulburn Valley saved its season Wembley Park? A 2-0 win over Box Hill United has kept the Suns out of the bottom two by the skin of its teeth. Callum Schorah and Russell Currie both scored in the second half to secure what could be a critical three points. Doveton’s resurgence continued with a 3-2 win over Nunawading and the Doves and Suns are locked on 16 points. However, Goulburn Valley holds a significant goal difference advantage. With three games to go the Suns face Pascoe Vale, North Sunshine and Box Hill in a difficult run home, while Doveton faces Beaumaris, Pythagoras and the Rams.