Talking Points: check out all the weekend’s NPL and VPL action here

TALKING POINTS: Christian Rossi and Altona Magic do South Melbourne a massive favour, while the VPL1 and 2 titles races will go down to the wire.

Christian Rossi celebrates his last-second penalty save. Picture: MP Images

Is the NPL Victoria premiership race over?

Altona Magic might just have done South Melbourne a massive favour.

However, the race for VPL1 and 2 silverware is far from over with five games remaining.

Check out all the highlights from the weekend’s action below.

Plus, a superb curling striker claims our Goal of the Week.

Daniel Fabrizio scores the match-winning goal. Picture: MP Images

MAGIC STUNNER ENDS PREMIERSHIP RACE

Don’t be surprised if Altona Magic pair Christian Rossi and Daniel Fabrizio get a cheeky thank you gift from South Melbourne this week. The Altona Magic pair certainly gave Hellas a gift on Saturday night in a dramatic 1-0 win over Avondale in the inaugural Autism Cup. Hellas now has one hand on the NPL Victoria premiers plate after Fabrizio’s goal and Rossi’s penalty-save heroics at Paisley Park. In one of the more extraordinary finishes this season, Avondale was awarded a last-second penalty when Bul Juach was adjudged to have either handballed or fouled Seb Vargas – either a harsh call – in the 94th minute. Blake Carpenter stepped up to salvage a point but Rossi dived full-length to his right to stop the penalty and then held the follow-up effort on the rebound. The whistle blew, sparking wild celebrations on and off the field as Rossi ran over to celebrate in front of the Magic faithful. “Absolutely shocked and humbled, what a way to finish,” Rossi told Altona Magic Facebook after the game. “I knew it would be heated and there was a lot in it so thank God we took the three points. “I don’t think I contributed anymore than any of my 11 – and the boys that came off the bench – tonight, we had every player give everything they had in them – I’m so proud of the boys.” Earlier, Fabrizio put Altona in front in the 33rd minute. A scramble on the goalline saw Darcy Anastovski, Nathan Liberto and Steve Lawless efforts blocked before Fabrizio poked the ball home. It would be Altona’s only shot on target, while Avondale had 10 shots, three on target and 16 corners. Having seen Avondale stumble, South Melbourne made no mistake on Sunday with a tense 1-0 win over Dandenong Thunder to take full advantage. Harrison Sawyer, as he’s done so often this season, provided the match-winner. The Hellas skipper pounced on a bad touch from Daniel Alessi, picked his pocket and slotted the ball past Pierce Clark one-on-one. The combined results sees Hellas move seven points clear of their arch-rival with just five games remaining.

55:46: GOAL! Green Gully score to make it GGSC 1 : DCSC 1.

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— NPL Victoria (@nplvictoria) July 6, 2024

GOAL OF THE WEEK

A couple of pearlers competing for weekly honours. Port Melbourne’s Eoghan Stokes has cemented himself as one of the competition’s most deadly dead-ball specialists and his skills were on show again on Saturday. A wonderfully taken free-kick from 25m out around the Oakleigh wall gave keeper Nick Feely no chance. However, it wasn’t enough to take home the prize. Green Gully’s Gianluca Iannucci gets that for his stunning solo effort against Dandenong City. The Cavaliers star takes the ball on the left wing and beats one man, he dribbles inside the box, shakes off two defenders with a cut back and superbly curls the ball into the far top corner before a third defender can shut him down.

FRANJIC DELIVERS WINNER

When Melbourne Knights needed someone to stand up it was no surprise to see talisman Ivan Franjic deliver. The Knights captain-coach scored the match-winning goal in Friday night’s 1-0 win over Manningham United at Knights Stadium. The right-back snuck down to be the central attacker, rising high to head home left-back Corey Sewell’s cross. The 33rd minute strike was enough to claim all three points and continue the club’s march back into finals contention. The Knights are just two points behind sixth-placed Dandenong City with five games remaining but face a difficult challenge of travelling to Olympic Village to face Heidelberg United this week.

CITY EYEING HISTORIC FINALS PUSH

Dandenong City is vying to become the first club to play NPL Victoria finals after winning promotion. Hadjuk jumped into the NPL top-six with a nail-biting 3-2 win over finals rival Green Gully at Gully Reserve on Saturday. The club returned to the top-flight this season and if it can hold onto sixth-place would be the first to achieve the feat since finals were introduced in 2015. After a 7-1 win over Moreland City last week, City carried on its goalscoring form as George Lambaridis, Danny Kim and skipper Jack Webster found the back of the net. Dandy is now one point ahead of Port Melbourne and two clear of Melbourne Knights in the race for finals with five games remaining.

MONEK MAGIC SINKS HEIDELBERG

It had to be Joey Monek. The St Albans favourite delivered the match-winning goal to earn a stunning 1-0 win over high-flying Heidelberg United and send the Churchill Reserve faithful into delirium. On a night the club debuted boom mid-season recruit, A-League games record holder, Leigh Broxham the script couldn’t have been better written. Alan Gerez won a one-on-one and found Luka Cabraja who teed up Monek for a powerful finish in the 85th minute. The win sees the Saints move off the bottom of the NPL ladder and within a point of Manningham United in 12th as they look to finish outside the bottom two.

SHARKS PAY THE PENALTY

It’s now six matches without a win for Port Melbourne and the freefall has seen the Sharks slip out of the NPL top-six. Port was one the wrong end of two penalty calls in the 2-1 loss to Oakleigh Cannons at Murphy Reserve on Saturday. The first came on the hour mark, in what appears a harsh call, Alex Baker and Luke Barforosh were adjudged to have impeded Stef Valentini in a contest near the goalline. The Cannons forward had no trouble converting from the spot. Baker, Barforosh and Amanhomm Khamis all saw yellow in the aftermath. The second looked more clear cut as Max Bisetto had his shirt pulled by Fraser Dunlop, though he kept his feet before going down after minimal contact from Khamis. Valentini again stepped up to convert. Eoghan Stokes got one back for the Sharks with a trademark free-kick from outside the box but the home team couldn’t find a late equaliser. The result sees Oakleigh move level with Avondale on 43 points but remain third on goal difference, seven points behind ladder-leader South Melbourne.

KINGSTON SHOCKS LANGY

Langwarrin were eyeing a run at promotion but Kingston City had other ideas on Friday night, leaving Lawton Park with all three points. Goals from Brad Blumenthal and Rei Ono had scores level before Mohammad Rahimi stepped up with a stunning winner before half-time. Langwarrin pushed for the equaliser but couldn’t find a way through the stout Kingston defence. Langwarrin is now six points behind Western United in fourth with as many as four teams going up pending confirmation of the National Second Division.

NORTHCOTE, PRESTON SURVIVE SCARES

After shock set-backs last week Northcote City and Preston Lions bounced back with critical wins to keep the pressure on ladder-leader Melbourne Victory. Northcote was forced to come from behind to beat Caroline Springs George Cross 2-1 at City Vista. Nick Sette had given the Georgies the lead with a superb curling effort before Michael Domfeh and Dean Larson both struck before half-time to give City a match-winning lead. Later on Saturday night, Preston held off a fast-finishing North Geelong to win 3-2 at BT Connor Reserve. A Brandon Lauton double and Wesley Jobello strike had given the home team a comfortable three-goal lead before the Warriors roared home. Emile Damey and Sergio Escudero found the back of the net but the visitors couldn’t find a late equaliser. Both City and the Lions are now four points behind Victory with five games remaining.

CITY DENTS WESTERN HOPES

After holding Melbourne Victory to a 3-3 draw last week, Melbourne City handed fellow A-League academy team Western United a major blow in the VPL1 premiership race. City claimed a 2-1 win at Ironbark Fields on Sunday. Medin Mehmeti celebrated his inclusion in the Young Socceroos squad for the upcoming ASEAN Under-19 Championships in Indonesia with both goals in the win. Luke Vickery was Western’s goalscorer. Having left Green Gully, despite being in wonderful form, rising star Shifa Ahmed made his United debut, coming on at half-time but wasn’t able to find the back of the net.

DAVINE DOUBLES UP

Ben Davine’s return to Eastern Lions is proving an immediate success. The young gun has been on fire since returning to the club from Heidelberg United. He scored a brace in his season debut last week in a shock win over Preston Lions and he repeated the dose on Saturday, scoring twice in a 3-2 win over Bentleigh Greens. That’s four goals in two games. Kentaroh Ohi also got on the scoresheet for Eastern. Mid-season addition Matt Hennessey and Scott Lochhead were the scorers for Bentleigh.

ROYALS DO IT AGAIN

So often this season Essendon Royals have been the comeback kids, winning games or finding equalisers in the dying minutes. On Saturday, the Royals rallied from three goals down to earn a draw with ladder-leader North Sunshine at Larissa Reserve in one of the more extraordinary matches of the VPL2 season. The Eagles looked to be cruising towards three points when Yusuf Karadag scored in second in the 77th minute. However, it sparked Essendon to life. Jordan Adeyemi got the Royals on the board just two minutes later and Graham Kelly made it two in the 87th minute to set up a nail-biting finish. The a minute later it was all square as Mahmut Ali Eyigun unleashed a fierce volley from outside the box, his first goal of the season. The result sees North Sunshine fall to second, a point behind new ladder-leader FC Melbourne.

SRBIJA AT THE DEATH

With five games remaining FC Melbourne sits on top of the VPL2 ladder. Srbija jumped to the top of the table with a heart-stopping come-from-behind 2-1 win over Doveton at Waratah Reserve on Saturday. The club is now on within reach of back-to-back premierships and remains alive in the Dockerty and Australia cups. John Kuol opened the scoring for the resurgent Doves on the stroke of half-time, giving his team a 1-0 lead at the break. However, FC Melbourne turned the tables in the second 45. Ryan Brown scored an early equaliser and just as it looked like a draw, Maksim Ilic popped up with a 95th minute winner to spark wild celebrations. Srbija is now one point ahead of North Sunshine after its draw with Essendon Royals, while Altona City was held 1-1 by Beaumaris and is a further four points back.

RAMS DENT ZEBRAS HOPES

Pascoe Vale has launched back into VPL2 promotion contention and put a major dent in Brunswick Juventus’ premiership hopes. The Rams scored a 2-1 win at CB Smith Reserve on Friday night. Aydin Mustedanagic and Nick Hatzigeorgiou both found the back of the net in the first half, as did Justin Micallef for Juventus. Neither side could find a breakthrough in the second half as Pascoe Vale held firm to secure a critical three points. The result sees the Rams move within three points of the Zebras in fourth, the expected promotion places should the National Second Division be confirmed. Defeat sees Juventus fall six points behind FC Melbourne in top spot.