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NPL Victoria Talking Points: get all the latest news from the weekend’s NPL, VPL matches

TALKING POINTS: A horror tackle has left one of the NPL’s best facing a season-ending injury, Asad Kasumovic stars for Oakleigh and Brunswick Juventus runs hot.

Ben HigginsBen Higgins
@ben_higgins84
7 min read
April 22, 2024 - 2:30PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
Kristian Trajceski in action for Avondale. Picture: Josh Chadwick
Kristian Trajceski in action for Avondale. Picture: Josh Chadwick

Another weekend in Victorian football and there’s never a shortage of drama.

Sadly, it was not the good kind of drama as on Saturday a poor tackle left one of the competition’s best with a serious injury.

Meanwhile, an Oakleigh recruit lights up the NPL, Brunswick Juventus makes it five on the trot and Melbourne Victory charge towards back-to-back promotions.

Plus, our pick for Goal of the Week.

NASTY TACKLE SPARKS AVONDALE

It might have been a catalyst for Avondale’s 8-0 demolition of Dandenong Thunder at George Andrews Reserve on Saturday night but a horror tackle is also set to sideline an Avengers star for much of the season. Kristian Trajceski is not expected back on the field until potentially NPL Victoria finals after a shocking challenge by Thunder’s Jordan Smylie. Trajceski took a pass in midfield and was scythed down by Smylie from behind, triggering an immediate reaction from Avondale players and a short melee before being shown a straight red card. The former Central Coast Mariners striker has been handed a lengthy suspension as a result. On top of an automatic one-match ban for the red card, he will serve an additional eight weeks. Trajceski was immediately taken to hospital and Avondale confirmed a fractured ankle on Sunday. The Avengers were leading 1-0 at the time, the 24th minute of the match, and 2-0 at half-time before unleashing a devastating burst in the second half. The defending premier and champion scored six goals in a 45-minute demolition job. Stef Zinni finished with a hat-trick, while Yusuf Ahmed netted a brace. Second half substitutes George Ott and Liston Diaz also found the back of the net. Avondale sits second on the ladder and hosts Green Gully on Saturday. Thunder will look to respond when it hosts St Albans.

GOAL OF THE WEEK

Take your pick of Asad Kasumovic’s two goals for Oakleigh Cannons. The left-winger produced two stunning long-range strikes to snatch three points against St Albans on Friday night. The first, driving in from the left, the former Adelaide United striker unleashes a fierce strike that flies past Jasmin Keranovic inside the near post. The second, and our pick for Goal of the Week, Kasumovic again takes the ball on the left but this time cuts back inside his defender and curls a perfectly placed shot into the far side of the net. For its class and ultimately match-winning-ness it’s hard to go past.

STILL ON KASUMOVIC …

Oakleigh was staring down the barrel of a shock loss to St Albans before Kasumovic’s 10 minutes of magic. The Cannons trailed 2-1 as Ivan Razumic and Josh Divin had the Saints on top at Jack Edwards Reserve. However, two stunning strikes would quickly flip the script. After arriving from A-League club Adelaide United in the off-season, Kasumovic snared his first goal in Cannons colours in the 72nd minute to level the score 2-2. He then one-upped himself with another superb strike in the 82nd minute to claim all three points for the home team. Joe Guest had earlier scored a penalty. The Cannons face a difficult three matches in seven days with an Australia Cup clash against State League 2 club Westvale on Monday night before a blockbuster against Melbourne Knights at Knights Stadium on Friday.

WARRIORS DENY DESPERATE MORELAND

For the second time in three weeks, Moreland City was agonisingly close to its first point of the NPL season. City was just minutes away from a draw with heavyweight Heidelberg United at Olympic Village until travelling hearts were broken by a Josh Pin in the 90th minute. The Warriors claiming a 3-2 victory. Moreland took a 1-0 lead into half-time as Fletcher Fulton pounced on a loose pass in midfield and drove down into the penalty area before crossing to Apai Ukuno at the back post. Heidelberg responded after the break and hit the front as Sean Ellis and Kaine Sheppard struck. City captain Corey Thomas equalised just after the hour mark and it very nearly got his club a point until Pin popped up late to steal the win.

SAWYER HATTY DESTROYS CITY

South Melbourne skipper Harrison Sawyer extended his lead in the NPL Golden Boot with a hat-trick against Dandenong City at Frank Holohan Reserve on Friday night. The star striker now has 11 goals for the season, three more than fellow hat-trick scorer, Avondale’s Stef Zinni. Sawyer opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a classy one-time finish and Ross Archibald doubled the lead after 27 minutes. It was 3-0 before half-time as Sawyer converted a penalty before completing his hat-trick in the 68th minute, tapping in a simple finish from Nahuel Bonada’s cross. The win keeps Hellas three points and plus-three goal difference lead over Avondale.

HUME LATE SHOW

Hume City goalkeeper Jacson Riley was no doubt buying his teammates a few appreciation beers after a narrow escape against Manningham United. Riley gifted the Blues with the opening goal of the game on the half-hour mark, caught in possession by Chris Theodorakopoulos, who deflected an attempted clearance into the back of the net. It took until the 73rd minute for Hume to find a leveller as Aamir Abdullah continued his outstanding season, firing in from long-range. And just 30 second later Manningham was down to 10 men as Nick Voulgaris was sent off for an agricultural tackle on Josh Bingham. As it all fell apart for the hosts, a superb through ball from Mikael Platt sprung Lloyd Isgrove and he made no mistake to put Hume in front just six minutes later. Bingham would finish the job, heading home from a corner in the 86th minute to seal the three points. Abdullah and Isgrove both have seven goals, third most in the competition.

MAGIC STUNS KNIGHTS

If not for Manningham United’s shock win over Avondale, Altona Magic’s 1-0 win over Melbourne Knights would certainly be in the running for upset of the season. A stunning Darcy Anastovski volley in the 75th minute proved the match-winner in front of a jubilant Paisley Park crowd. It’s the Magic’s second win in a row and sees the club climb to ninth on the NPL Victoria ladder, just a point behind Knights. It’s also Altona’s second straight win over the pre-season premiership fancy, following a 3-2 victory in Round 19 last season.

WARRIORS ON THE BOARD

North Geelong has its first point of the 2024 season after a 1-1 draw with Eastern Lions. The Warriors came so close to all three points, leading for much of the game after Salou Jallow’s delightful chip finish in the 37th minute. However, the Lions would equalise through Greg Zacharias, heading home from a corner, in the 74th minute. After nine straight defeats to start the season it’s a much-needed boost for North Geelong with Jallow’s strike just the club’s fifth of the year. The Warriors are five points behind Werribee City in the battle for the wooden spoon.

VICTORY TOP LIONS IN TABLE-TOP CLASH

Melbourne Victory continued its dominant form on Saturday, taking down second-placed Langwarrin 3-1 at Lawton Park. After being deadlocked 1-1 at half-time, the Victory showed their class in the second half. Marc Petheriotis scored a brace and Tommaso Minutoli also found the back of the net for the runaway league leader. The A-League academy team is now seven points clear on top, ahead of Northcote City. Tom Youngs scored Langwarrin’s goal, his league-leading seventh of the campaign. The Lions drop to fourth, nine points off the premiership pace.

GREENS FIND FOUR-M

See what we did there? Bentleigh Greens scored its third win and third clean sheet in four games under new coach George Katsakis, taking care of Caroline Springs George Cross 4-0 at City Vista on Saturday. The Greens were two goals to the good at half-time and doubled their advantage by full-time. Scott Lochhead scored a magnificent hat-trick to power his team to victory, while Manase Abandelwa also found the back of the net. The result sees Bentleigh in seventh, now just two points outside the top-three promotion places.

PRESTON HEATING UP

It took the Lions a few games to find their stride this season but the team is now riding a three-game winning run after a 3-0 triumph over Melbourne City. Preston is sitting third on the ladder, inside the promotion zone, but of course will head to the National Second Division in 2025. Skipper Marcus Schroen, reigning NPL WA best-and-fairest Chok Dau and fellow off-season recruit Aaron Anderson all found the back of the net in a clinical display. Schroen and Anderson both scored from corners, while Dau pounced on a loose pass and an out-of-position goalkeeper to seal the three points. The Lions will look to make it four in a row when they face second-last Werribee City.

MONDAY NIGHT GAME

Bulleen Lions could jump up as high as third when they host Kingston City at the Veneto Club on Monday night. Kingston can climb to fifth with a big win.

JUVENTUS HOT, PACCO COLD

After a shock Round 1 loss to FC Melbourne, Brunswick Juventus is now riding a five-game win streak and sits on top of the VPL2 ladder. The latest victory coming courtesy of a 2-0 win over Pascoe Vale at CB Smith Reserve on Friday night. In stark contrast, after three wins to begin the year, it’s a third straight defeat for the Rams. Zebras opened the scoring just 30 seconds into the match, the ball ricocheting off multiple bodies and into the back of the net. In the 71st minute, Matthew Cundari was left all alone inside the box to wrap up the win. Worryingly for Pascoe Vale after scoring 16 goals in the first three matches, it hasn’t troubled the scorers since.

CITY, SRBIJA KEEP WINNING

Stepping up from the State League to VPL is meant to be difficult, tell that to Altona City and FC Melbourne. The pair won again on Saturday, Altona is undefeated after a 2-1 win over Beaumaris at Beaumaris Reserve and sits second on the ladder. Srbija was too good for Doveton, winning 1-0 at Kevin Bartlett Reserve, and is fifth, just a point outside the promotion places. Lachlan Smith and Jayson Ziro found the back of the net for City, while Sean Grella scored for the Sharks. Boom recruit Luka Ninkovic scored the winner for Melbourne.

FIRST WIN FOR BOX HILL

Pythagoras loved working in threes and, after three draws, Box Hill United claimed their first win (and three points) of the season on Saturday. United travelled to Wilcox Field and came away with a 2-0 win over Boroondara-Carey Eagles. Tarek Atta and Sam Mamaris were the scorers in the breakthrough win, while keeper Luke Del Vecchio secured his first clean sheet of the campaign.

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