NPL Victoria wrap: stunning goals and wild finishes, all the talking points from Round 2

It’s been a cracking start to the NPL Victoria season and Round 2 produced some stunning highlights. Check out the weekend’s major talking points.

Yusuf Ahmed scored a brace for Avondale. Picture: Hamish Blair

It’s been a cracking start to the NPL Victoria season.

Round 2 saw a litany of amazing goals and some stunning results, none more so than Dandenong Thunder and St Albans crazy 4-4 draw.

There was also plenty of drama with costly red cards and calamitous defending across the weekend.

It was difficult but we’ve named a Goal of the Week from an outstanding field.

The second week of NPL2 also took place with some interesting results occurring.

Check out all the major talking points from the weekend below.

Byron Figueroa in action for Moreland City. Picture: David Crosling

CITY SNARE HISTORIC WIN

Back in the top flight for Victorian football for the first time since 1962, Moreland City was back in the winners’ circle for the first time in 60 years on Saturday. Bentleigh Greens had taken an early lead at CB Smith Reserve but the game changed when goalkeeper Christian Pavlidis was sent off in the 12th minute. City equalised through Nick Bavcar in the 40th minute and in the 47th Fletcher Fulton then capitalised on a horror moment for Greens’ replacement keeper Ben McCauley running down an attempted clearance with the rebound finding the back of the net. An early win will be a massive boost to the club as they look to establish themselves at the level.

GOAL OF THE WEEK

It was a strong field but Gevaro Nepomuceno long-range free kick takes the cake in Round 2. The Melbourne Knights forward launched a 30m rocket from a free kick that would have knocked the spiders out of the top corner and gave Cannons custodian Nicholas Feely no chance despite the

73:50: GOAL! Melbourne Knights FC scores to make it MKFC 1 : OCFC 1

Watch live and free on https://t.co/bOA3JNp71S#NPLVIC#MKFCOCFCpic.twitter.com/S7ygCWH7uo

— NPL Victoria (@nplvictoria) February 24, 2023

UNLUCKY RUNNERS-UP

There were plenty of Goal of the Week contenders in Round 2. Port Melbourne’s Luca Tevere hit a rocket from outside the area after a run from the centre circle. Avondale’s Yusuf Towns capitalised on a horror turnover, taking the ball at half-way, beating one defender and holding off a second before unleashing a left-foot bullet. After a mazy Yagoub Mustafa run that beat two defenders, Dylan McGlade jinked past a defender himself before curling home from the edge of the box. South Melbourne’s opener was superb, Pat Langlois hacked a long ball forward and Max Mikkola lobbed an out of position goalkeeper for a first-time finish. And last but certainly not least, Josh Pin put Heidelberg United in front with a delightful back heel that fooled the keeper.

PENALTY CONTROVERSY

It was the goal that marked the turning point in what would turn out to be one of the rarest finishes to a game of football. A total of four goals were scored in the last 10 minutes of the game between St Albans and Dandenong Thunder at George Andrews Reserve and it all began from a penalty call in the 87th minute which saw Dandenong Thunder get back into the game at 3-2. St Albans coach Ryan McGuffie disagreed with the call. “I spoke to Lachy the referee after the match and I watched it back with him and I said to him, in my opinion, he has pulled the player back and then that should have obviously been a free kick to us,” McGuffie said. “Obviously it led to a penalty being given.” McGuffie thought his defender Aaron Oppedisano should have received a free kick rather than conceding the penalty, saying he was pulled back which led to the Thunder forward to trip over him. A Football Victoria spokesperson said: “Football Victoria’s Referees Department individually assesses every top-tier NPL match to provide support and coaching opportunities for our officials. While this specific incident is yet to be reviewed, we will continue to invest in our referees to benefit both them individually and the wider football community.”

WARRIORS RETURN FALLS FLAT

North Geelong secured arguably the result of Round 1, a 3-1 win over Bentleigh, but the promoted Warriors’ home opener did not go to plan. Port Melbourne Sharks played spoiler at Elcho Park on Saturday night, claiming a 2-nil win. The home fans were quieted early as Chris Duggan scored a penalty in the ninth minute and Luca Tevere got the sealer early in the second half. An off-side call saved what would have been a third Sharks goal after some calamitous defending from the home side.

AVONDALE CATCHES FIRE

After a 2-2 draw last week, Avondale continued to pump in goals but were vastly improved at the back. In their home opener, the Avengers secured a comprehensive 3-nil win over Altona Magic. Yusuf Ahmed was the hero with a two-minute brace, opening the scoring in the 69th minute and doubling the lead in the 71st. Star midfielder Kristian Trajceski completed the rout in the 96th minute.

Yusuf Ahmed in action against Altona Magic on Saturday. Picture: Ashley Perez

KNIGHTS SAVED BY STUNNER

The Curaçao international winger scored a tremendous free kick from 30m out to level the scoreline in the 74th minute against reigning champions Oakleigh Cannons. The shot curled in off the left foot of Nepomuceno, flying into the top left corner, passing the glove of Cannons keeper Nick Feely.

SOUTH HAS ITS NEW HARRY SAWYER

His name is Ajak Riak and on the weekend he assured fans of his exceptional talent when he won South Melbourne the game with two goals to put his side up 3-1 against Green Gully. The first goal was a clean finish one-on-one with the keeper and the second was by a piece of brilliance, deceiving the defender before striking the ball into the bottom left corner. It is no wonder why a 350-game A-League defender was “really impressed” with Riak when he played against him last year at Kingston Heath.

OTT HAT-TRICK HERO

It was the standout performance in an outstanding game. George Ott scored the first hat-trick of the NPL season and rescued a point for the Saints. The former Wellington Phoenix striker gave St Albans a 2-nil lead in the 17th minute and a 3-1 lead in the 83rd. Then with the Saints staring down the barrel of a shock loss, Ott won a last-gasp penalty and converted from the spot to earn his team a point.

RED-CARD, SEVEN MINUTES OF MADNESS DOOMS GREENS

It was a 3-1 loss to North Geelong in Round 1 and now a 2-1 loss to Moreland City in Round 2. Both these newly promoted NPL sides have defeated the Greens sparking worries at Kingston Heath. And with their No.1 keeper Bon Scott still recovering from a broken toe he suffered in pre-season and their second keeper Christian Pavlidis red carded in the 12th minute on the weekend, the Greens will be needing to produce a strong defensive performance this week in a vital clash against Green Gully.

UNITY KEY FOR YOUNG MAGIC

Despite losing 3-0 to Avondale on Saturday, Altona Magic created some chances in the front half and kept the game at nil-all for the first 67 minutes. If it wasn’t for an unlucky handball in the box which gave away a penalty, Magic may have taken a point out of the game. A Magic player was seen frustrated, with arms thrown in the air, after being subbed off with Magic coach John Markovski forced to tell him to sit down. As a young side, Magic will face challenges this season and they need to be able to remain calm and composed in difficult situations to stay united so they can learn and improve.

BULLEEN IMPRESS, RED CARD DOOMS CITY

A straight red cardgo wild for Dylan McGlade’s leveller shown to City’s Sebastian Esposito proved a turning point in Monday night’s Bulleen Lions-Melbourne City clash at the Venetto Club. With Esposito given his marching orders, Max Batchelor slotted a resulting penalty to give the Lions the initiative and Jen Louis Mbarushayo and Riki Foster Hosoai cashed in to secure a 3-0 win.

DYLAN MCGLADE’S EQUALISER SENDS HUME CITY CROWD WILD

The Ireland-born midfielder sent the Hume City home crowd wild with his thrilling right footed shot which dipped in the top right corner against Heidelberg United in the 66th minute, equalling the scoreline at 1-1. The new recruit’s impressive goal gave his side a point from the game.

65:47: GOAL! Hume City FC scores to make it HCFC 1 : HUFC 1

Watch live and free on https://t.co/bOA3JNp71S#NPLVIC#HCFCHUFCpic.twitter.com/4e0cEFVqpB

— NPL Victoria (@nplvictoria) February 24, 2023

NIAGIORAN ON THE BOARD

After just one win at NPL level last season, Eastern Lions didn’t have to wait long to secure three points this season, snatching a 2-1 win over Manningham United. With scores level at 1-all, star recruit Nic Niagioran stepped up and found the winner for his new club in the 73rd minute and Kentaroh Ohi sealed the win with five minutes remaining.

LIONS LEAVE IT LATE

NPL3 premiers Preston Lions scored their first NPL2 win of the campaign, travelling down to Werribee and coming away with a 1-nil win and three points. After going down to Pascoe Vale in the club’s home season opener, it was an important response. The Lions left it late too, Connor Bell scored the winner in the 80th minute. It was Bell’s second goal as well in an impressive start to the season.

THREE TWO-FROM-TWO

Three teams are undefeated after the opening two rounds with Pascoe Vale, Langwarrin and Western United remaining perfect. Langwarrin had to come from behind to pinch a 2-1 away win over Northcote City with Tom Youngs equalising just before half-time and Tom Podaridis finding the winner in the 73rd minute. Steve Sokol got the opener for Northcote. Pascoe Vale, meanwhile, had an easier time against relegated Dandenong City with a 3-1 win. United snared all three points late thanks to a Max Bisetto goal in the 84th minute. Brunswick City had equalised 13 minutes earlier through Tom Biss but couldn’t hold on to share the points.