By Kieran Yap 13/7/23 (Kieran84@live.com.au)
Above: Paige Zois (left) and Alana Burn for Bulleen Lions (Instagram)
The Boroondara-Carey Eagles registered another win, Calder United keep climbing but The Bulleen Lions are in a strong position to push for the title.
Alamein FC 3-3 South Melbourne
A dominant Sidney Allen put a dent in South Melbourne’s title hopes with a virtuoso performance that helped her side to a 3-3 draw with the league powerhouse.
South Melbourne came into Round 18 needing a win to keep in touch with the league leaders, but also to bounce back from a rough defeat against Calder United in the Nike FC Cup midweek.
South Melbourne were without Leticia McKenna and Alamein were able to take advantage of her absence early in midfield. Allen charged through the centre of the pitch and held off a challenge while playing a perfect pass to Emily Vatcky who opened the scoring in the third minute.
Allen doubled the lead after winning possession, passing wide then getting into the box to turn the eventual cross in. It was the ninth goal of the season for the Alamein captain. An impressive tally from her midfield role.
Caitlin Pickett dragged one back for South Melbourne before half time. Dragan Kljajic’s clever footwork on the right made space for the cross and it was scrambled home at the back post in the 33rd minute.
Vatcky and Allen traded passes in the second half, and Vatcky earned a penalty after drawing a lunging tackle from South Melbourne. Sidney Allen converted the penalty to restore the home side’s two goal cushion.
Tayla Christensen provided some hope for the visitors when a series of relentless attacks eventually paid off. Janna Lawson exploded into a pocket of space and despite close attention cut the ball into the area for Christensen to turn it home.
Brianne Reed delivered the equaliser for a rejuvenated South Melbourne. Lawson’s corner was not met with much resistance, but it was met by South’s towering defender. The afternoon’s sixth goal arrived in the 62nd minute and despite numerous attempts, neither team could find a winner.
A loss for South would have been almost fatal for their title chance, the draw may not be enough, but it remains a mathematical possibility.
Boroondara-Carey Eagles 4-1 Southern United
Boroondara-Carey got their 11th win of this season so far, and Kurea Okino scored her fifth hatrick of the campaign, but Southern United scored one of the best goals all year despite the 4-1 defeat to the league’s top side.
Boroondara’s first goal came in the 12th minute, a long ball from the wide area found Okino in between the centre backs. With one touch off her thigh, Okino cushioned the ball into the penalty area, with the next she rounded the goalkeeper and with her third touch she slotted the ball into the net for the 27th time this season.
Okino won and converted a penalty kick in the 23rd minute. A clever turn and a quick change of pace drew the foul and there was never any doubt about the finish.
The Eagles star striker had her third just two minutes later. She burst into space on the right flank and beat the next defender before firing home a low strike to make it 3-0.
Southern United were now in the tricky position of having to chase a lead against a team that thrives on the counterattack. When Boroondara score early, they usually add more goals on, if they don’t they will wait for the other side to overcommit and then launch when the time is right. Any team that finds themselves three goals down is between a rock and a hard place tactically.
That is what happened in the 51st minute. Deanna Bottalico made a strong low save from Yuka Sato’s free kick and launched the ball upfield.
Southern United regained possession but Margot Robbine intercepted a switch of play and raced in on goal before burying the chance herself along with any hope of a Southern United comeback.
Erin Keyt was able to provide one memorable moment for the home side. She pulled one back with a stunning solo effort. Her curling effort from outside the box took everybody by surprise and left Bottalico with no chance despite the distance.
The match ended 4-1 and Boroondara continue their reign at the summit of the table, although they have played two more games than their nearest challenger.
Heidelberg United 0-6 Calder United
Both sides needed a win coming into this game, Heidelberg could not afford to lose a sixth match in a row, and Calder needed to keep some distance between themselves and Box Hill United on the ladder in the race for finals.
Heidelberg reshuffled their lineup, Tijan McKenna started in a deeper, more defensive role, while Katrina Nikpour and Nicole Blackett started in reserve.
A closely contested first half went Calder’s way. Heidelberg had no answer for the pace of Kiway Hieda and the winger menaced the home side all evening. Bella Sewards’ long ball released Hieda down the right wing and she carried the ball deep into the attack before cutting it across goal for the easiest finish Raquel Derales will have all season.
Heidleberg conceded the second following a corner kick and goalmouth scramble. Hieda was the scorer in the 58th minute to add to her first half assist.
Annabel Haffenden was brought in by Calder at half time to replace Alana Cerne. It was an example of the type of defensive depth that they have built their recent form on, and the sort that Heidelberg have needed in the last month.
What followed was a flurry of goals to the visitors as Calder took advantage of an increasingly frantic Heidelberg.
Hieda secured the three points in the 70th minute. she raced onto Nicole Dakic’s long pass and finished calmly from close range.
Hieia was at the heart of the visitors’ fourth. She received the ball from Ava Groba’s flicked header and carried the ball forward before playing it back to the Calder skipper. Groba found herself in acres of space and sped toward goal before cutting the ball back across the face.
Derales was on hand to meet it, but Heidelberg’s defence reacted slowly. The Calder number 10 ghosted in ahead of the defender to finish at the back post.
Larissa Walsh added her side’s fifth in style. Groba was the creator once more and cruised along the edge of the 18 yard box before finding Walsh in space on the right. The midfielder cut inside and curled home and effort on her left foot to make it 5-0 with only minutes left on the clock.
Those remaining minutes were enough for Calder United to add one more. In the third minute of added time Mia Daskalovska was found by Groba and finished calmly after carrying the ball into the box.
The 6-0 scoreline felt harsh on Heidelberg, but the game simply got away from the players late in the second half. From a Calder United perspective it was an ominous flex of their attacking muscles and defensive depth.
After beating South Melbourne in the midweek knockout cup match, they looked back to last season’s form, and their ladder position was helped by the team they beat in 2022’s Grand Final.
Bulleen Lions 3-0 Box Hill United
It was a funny game between two of the competition’s in-form sides at The Veneto Club on Monday. All of the action took place in the first half, and although Box Hill matched Bulleen in general play, the Lions were far more clinical and decisive when it mattered.
Beattie Goad opened the scoring in the 20th minute. After the referee impeded Box Hill’s Sofia Sakalis, the drop ball fell to Paige Zois. The Bulleen midfielder looked up and slide a hard low pass along the deck and through two lines of Box Hill’s players into the path of Goad.
The twice capped Matilda sped toward goal and finished emphatically at the near post. It was a ruthless, precision move by the home side.
Box Hill tried to pressure Bulleen on the ball at every opportunity and had some success in the early stages even after going a goal down. But Goad was proving hard to handle, she is in elite form this season and looks like a player who has faced the likes of Barcelona and the German national team.
Goad drew a foul a long way from goal and Box Hill prepared to defender a deep Zois delivery. Instead the Bulleen playmaker passed short to Tiffany Eliadis.
The shot from Eliadis was stunning. It was hit high over the defenders but dipped under the crossbar to make it 2-0 in the 44th minute.
Bulleen score their third goal in injury time of the first half. With the clock ticking down, Bulleen won a late corner and Alana Jancevski’s delivery caused havoc in the penalty area.
Zois’s effort was mis-hit, but Alana Burn made no mistake with a half volley at close range.
The game slowed down in the second half, and Box Hill searched for a way back into the match but struggled against a well organized Bulleen side that now sits in second place but with two games in hand over league leaders Boroondara.
Next up, they travel to Dorothy Laver Reserve to face Alamein FC and continue their push for silverware.
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