NPL Victoria wrap: season-saving wins, thrilling championship races, Goal of the Week brilliance

A number of teams might just have saved their season on the weekend, while the championship races are too close to call. Plus, solo brilliance wins Goal of the Week.

Jamie Latham in action for Moreland City. Mark Avellino Photography

We’re all basking in the glory of the Matildas win on Monday night.

While Melbourne rides the Women’s World Cup rollercoaster the local football has been just as exciting.

With just a couple of weeks to go in the NPL Victoria season, we can’t look away.

The NPL premiership and NPL2 and NPL3 championship races are too close to call.

At the other end of the table, a number of clubs may just have saved their seasons with critical wins.

Plus, all is ready for the Dockerty Cup final and a piece of individual brilliance wins the Goal of the Week

Michael Tzoutzidis in action for Moreland City. Mark Avellino Photography

SEASON-SAVING WINS?

With just a couple of games left in the season, every point is precious for those fighting to avoid relegation. The weekend saw a number of teams potentially save their seasons with critical wins across the NPL. Potentially none were bigger than Moreland City knocking off Heidelberg United 2-1 at CB Smith Reserve. It was an impressive response from City after a 4-0 thumping from Dandenong Thunder the week before. Jaiden Brown gave the home team an early lead, poking home in the 20th minute. Heidelberg went down to 10 men when Johnny Apostolopoulos saw a straight red in the 73rd minute but the visitors were level eight minutes later thanks to Anthony Theodoropoulos. However, Moreland would not be denied. Jamie Latham broke forward, Fletcher Fulton made a strong run down the right and Latham was on hand to tap home the cutback to secured an invaluable win in the 85th minute. The victory sees Moreland jump off the bottom of the ladder and out of the relegation zone. City has 16 points, one ahead of Bentleigh Greens and two above North Geelong in an enthralling fight for survival.

In NPL2, Werribee City’s nail-biting 1-0 win over Brunswick City has all but sealed its place in the competition for 2024. John Roberts’ first goal since crossing from Preston Lions secured an invaluable three points for the Bees and leaves Brunswick hanging by a thread. The win moves Werribee to 30 points, four points clear of Brunswick Juventus in the relegation zone with two games to play. Brunswick City is just one points ahead of the Zebras and faces last-placed Pascoe Vale on Saturday in another potential do-or-die clash.

Down in NPL3, the fight to avoid the drop of State League is going down to the wire. Essendon Royals thumped Boroondara-Carey 4-1 on Friday night to jump out of the relegation zone. Davey Van’t Schip gave the home team the lead in the 16th minute at Cross Keys Reserve and Dean Clarke doubled the advantage just before halftime. However, there was still enough time for Josh Stadnicki to get one back for the Eagles in the third minute of injury time. A nervous finish loomed until Clarke scored his second in the 81st and Daniele Ferri secured the three points with almost the last kick of the game. The Royals are now two points clear of Geelong – which snared a draw with Melbourne Victory – and three points clear of Ballarat City. Meanwhile, Beaumaris also looks to have secured its place in the competition for next season after upsetting North Sunshine 2-1 at Larissa Reserve. The points looked to be shared thanks to goals from Jonathan Creamer and Redouane Sarakh before Felix Polster popped up in the 95th minute to score a dramatic winner for the Sharks. The thrilling win has Beaumaris three points ahead of Geelong, which is faces in the final game of the season.

GOAL OF THE WEEK

Ajak Riak pulled off a stunning acrobatic goal for South Melbourne, launching himself into the air and somehow finding the back of the net through traffic. However, it’s hard to go past a classic solo effort from Bentleigh Greens’ Chris Droutsas. Taking a pass on the left of midfield, Droutsas drops the shoulder and looks to go central. However, the Port Melbourne defence quickly shuts him down so he cuts back left. The move sends not one, not two but three defenders the wrong way and buys him the space he needs to curl the ball in the far corner with his left foot. It’s a brilliant piece of individual skill that came so close to winning the game for Bentleigh. The Greens had to settle for a draw but Droutsas is a clear winner of our Round 24 Goal of the Week.

THE NPL PREMIERSHIP COMES DOWN TO THIS

It’s a tad frustrating we have to wait a fortnight for the biggest game of the NPL season. The top flight will take a week off this weekend but when it returns on August 12, Avondale will host South Melbourne at Avenger Park to likely decide who claims the premiers plate. Avondale’s draw with Oakleigh on Friday night has opened the door for South Melbourne, which smashed Altona Magic 4-1 on Saturday. The margin at the top of the table is now just two points and Hellas have a game in hand, against Heidelberg United, which will be played four days after its clash with the Avengers. At Paisley Park, Jonas Markovski scored his league-leading 18th goal of the season to give the Magic the lead at halftime. However, South were level just four minutes after the break as Ajak Riak equalised with a stunning acrobatic effort and Marcus Schroen put the visitors in front 60 seconds later. Yagoub Mustafa and Schroen’s second rounded out a dominant second half to secure Hellas the win.

Yusuf Ahmed in action for Avondale. Picture: Josh Chadwick

BENTLEIGH DENIED AT THE DEATH

Bentleigh will take any point it can get but it was agonisingly close to three on Saturday. The Greens wouldn’t be in the relegation zone if they’d been able to hold on for just a couple of minutes more against Port Melbourne at Kingston Heath. However, Jalil Regague’s last-gasp equaliser ensured the points were shared and the Greens must find at least another draw to remain in the top flight in 2024. Valentin Cesnik gave the Sharks an early lead, slotting home in the 13th minute, but the Greens were level just before halftime after Ben Carrigan was fouled in the box and Daniel Dixon made no mistake from the penalty spot. The home team was in front in the 68th minute thanks to a worldie from Chris Droutsas. The stunning strike was also Droutsas’ first of the season and it was so very nearly a deserving match-winner. However, Port Melbourne would not be denied and Regague broke Bentleigh hearts in the 92nd minute. The Greens sit 13th, one point behind Moreland City and safety, with two games remaining.

GULLY GREEN OVER PENALTY

The race for the top-six just got a little bit tighter after Dandenong Thunder’s 1-0 win over Green Gully on Saturday night. The Cavaliers were incensed when the referee awarded the home team a penalty in the 68th minute. Kasper Hallam picked Jordan Lampard’s pocket and then dribbled past three defenders before going down as James Doyle stuck a foot in. The referee pointed to the spot and Grad Damen made no mistake with the spot kick. The penalty proved decisive and the win keeps Thunder’s faint finals hopes alive. With two games remaining Dandenong sits eighth, four points behind Green Gully and five points behind Altona Magic in sixth. It will need to win both games and hope the Cavaliers and Magic stumble. Green Gully’s finals hopes are brighter, just one point outside the top-six.

CITY TO THE TOP

For the first time this season, Dandenong City is on top of the NPL2 ladder. City’s thumping 3-1 win over Northcote City combined with Kingston City’s loss to Western United now has it in the box seat for a championship and immediate return to the top flight. It was a night of firsts for City at Frank Holohan Reserve with all three scorers, George Lambadaridis, Chris Irwin and Jamie Forrester all netting for the first time. The championship race is down the three contenders, City on top, a point clear of Western United with Kingston another point back. Dandenong will round out the campaign with matches against Bulleen Lions (away) and Eastern Lions (home). Imagine celebrating the title in front of a packed Frank Holohan.

WESTERN GUNS DOWN KINGSTON

The battle between NPL2 championship contenders proved a one-sided thrashing at City Vista. Western United were two goals to the good before the half-hour mark as Oliver Lavale (9th minute) and Max Bisetto (24th) found the back of the net. When Lavale scored his second on the stroke of halftime the game was as good as over. Paul Kuol got one back for Kingston in the 51st minute but Luke Vickery popped up to restore the three-goal cushion and secure the three points. The defeat sees Kingston tumble from first to third in a tight title race. Western United moves up to second and a point off Dandenong City at the top. United faces Northcote City (away) and Bulleen Lions (away) in the final fortnight, while Kingston City tackles Manningham United (home) and Melbourne City (away).

GEORGE CROSS GOES UP AGAIN

For the second season in a row Caroline Springs George Cross is moving up. After dropping down to State League 1 in 2018, the club has surged back up the NPL ranks. The Georgies won the State League 1 North-West championship last season to return to the NPL and have their eyes set on making it back-to-back titles for the first time in club history. A thumping 5-1 win over Doveton secured promotion. Omar Ammache scored a brace and Josh Whiteley, Caleb Mikulic and Rhys Saunders also found the back of the net in the victory. George Cross is now one point clear on top of the ladder, with a game in hand. The club faces third-placed Nunawading, last-placed Ballarat City and relegation threatened Essendon Royals in its final three matches.

NUNAWADING CHASING PROMOTION

While automatic promotion is out of reach, the fight for the promotion playoff is red-hot. Nunawading has its nose in front, sitting third on goal difference ahead of North Sunshine and Goulburn Valley Suns and three points ahead of Boroondara-Carey. A commanding 3-0 win over Goulburn Valley, coupled with North Sunshine’s shock loss to Beaumaris sees City jump up the ladder. A Nicolas Gonzalez brace and Miguel Restrepo strike earnt a critical three points. Nunawading has a game in hand, albeit against ladder-leader Caroline Springs, and finishes the campaign against Beaumaris and Doveton. The third and fourth-placed finisher will earn a chance at promotion in a playoff against the third- and fourth-last team in NPL2.

GEELONG DENTS VICTORY

Relegation threatened Geelong picked up a crucial point and put a major dent in Melbourne Victory’s championship aspirations at Stead Park on Saturday. Alexander Stojanovski gave the home team the lead in the 21st minute but Victory was level against 15 minutes later thanks to Alexander Menelaou. That would be how it finished. Geelong remains in 11th place and facing relegation but remains within two points of Essendon Royals and safety. At the other end of the table, Victory now trails Caroline Springs George Cross by a point at the top of the table and the Georgies have a game in hand. While the championship battle remains alive, the A-League club’s reserves have at least secured automatic promotion to NPL2 for 2024.

BALLARAT CITY STREAK ENDS

It was a beautiful five weeks but Ballarat City’s winning run came to an end on Saturday with a 2-0 loss to Box Hill at Wembley Park. A Michael Romas double secured the win for Pythagoras and ensured they would play NPL3 football in 2024. In contrast, the defeat all but ended Ballarat’s hopes of survival. While the fairytale finish is still possible, the club would need to knock off ladder-leader Caroline Springs George Cross or promotion contender North Sunshine in the final fortnight.

DOCKERTY CUP KICK OFF

The first silverware of the NPL Men’s season will be won on Friday night when Heidelberg United tackles Oakleigh Cannons at Kingston Heath. Speaking to Football Victoria, United striker and reigning Gold Medallist Kaine Sheppard said there was only one thing on his mind. “When I first came back to Heidelberg, I said to Katz (coach George Katsakis) and Steve (president Steve Tsalikidis) that I came back to win a trophy,” he said. Last year we didn’t manage it, so this year it’s nice to be in a final and hopefully win that trophy that I came back for.” Oakleigh Cannons were runners-up last season and star Oliver Kubilay is confident his team can go one better in 2023. “Winning the Dockerty Cup would be amazing. We obviously fell at the final hurdle last year and it hurt a lot of us and we still think about that today,” he said. That will be in the back of our minds on Friday, so we want to get the job done, win the Cup, and then kick on for the rest of the season.” The match kicks off at 7.30pm.