National Premier League Victoria: FC Bulleen Lions men and women will feature in the big triple-header

FC Bulleen Lions will be busy at AAMI Park after the men’s and women’s teams both qualified for Football Victoria’s biggest day.

Skipper Eli Luttmer netted a 90th-minute equaliser for FC Bulleen Lions Picture Yuri Kouzmin

FC Bulleen Lions were set to contest two of the three matches of Victorian soccer’s big triple-header at AAMI Park on Sunday after the men’s side reached the promotion/relegation playoff and the women the NPLV grand final.

The Lions men were playing for a pace in the top fight when they met the Dandenong Thunder in Sunday’s opening game after beating Moreland Zebras in a heart-stopping, extra-time thriller at Broadmeadows Valley Park on Tuesday night.

The Lions and Zebras had finished NPLV2 runners-up after the regular season, Bulleen in the east and Moreland in the west, and did battle for the right to tackle the Thunder, which finished third bottom in NPLV.

A few weeks back, the Zebras had beaten the Lions in a penalty shootout in their FFA Cup round of 32 clash and Tuesday’s contest was every bit as exciting.

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Ben Everson scored FC Bulleen Lions’ winner from the penalty spot. Picture: Michael Dodge (Getty)

The Zebras scored the opening goal when Arnold Suew netted a spectacular strike from outside the box in the 63rd minute and Moreland looked to have one hand on the playoff place when the clock ticked over to the 90th minute.

But Bulleen’s Johnny Kuol was felled in the box when running onto a through ball and skipper Eli Luttmer calmly converted from the spot and sent the game into extra-time.

Kuol again had a big say in the outcome when he was held while climbing for a header on 103 minutes and Ben Everson netted the resulting spot kick.

There was still more drama in the dying seconds when the Zebras had a penalty appeal waved away and the final whistle announced the Lions’ 2-1 win.

Meanwhile, the FC Bulleen Lions will tackle Calder United in the NPLV women’s grand final after the Lions beat Alamein FC 3-1 in the semi-final at the Veneto Club last Sunday.

Rachael Quigley opened the scoring for Bulleen on 23 minutes and the Lions doubled their advantage when Lia Privitelli scored three minutes before halftime.

Lucy Johnson dragged a goal back for Alamein in the 55th minute but Bulleen’s passage to the grand final was confirmed when Privitelli scored the second goal of her brace six minutes before time.

Calder reached the decider after a 6-1 drubbing of South Melbourne in the other semi-final.

Sunday’s matches, along with the Avondale v Bentleigh Greens men’s grand final, will be played at AAMI Park at 12.30pm, 3.30pm and 6.30pm (scores unavailable at the time of going to print).