By Kieran Yap (Kieran84@live.com.au) 1/8/23
Above: Heidelberg United are back on the winners list. Photo by: Jack Dilks
There were some big results in Round 20, but both the title race and the top four remain uncertain with two games to go in Victoria’s NPLW.
Preston Lions FC 2-1 Bulleen Lions
Bulleen came into this game one point ahead of Boroondara-Carey Eagles and against a mid-table Preston side, they had an opportunity to increase their lead at the top of the table.
However, despite their position, Preston are a dangerous side, particularly with the reinvention of Melbourne City fullback Kaitlyn Torpey as a quicksilver striker. She was heavily influential and ever-menacing against the visiting team.
Preston took a surprise lead in the fifth minute. Torpey proved as strong with her back to goal as she is racing toward it and laid off a pass to Georgia Henderson at the edge of the box.
Henderson struck perfectly off her left boot to send the ball past Gaby Garton and delight the home fans. It was not the start that Bulleen were expecting.
Bulleen almost levelled the scores in the 30th minute. Some magical footwork by Beattie Goad combined with Tiffany Eliadis to tee up Paige Zois from long range.
The shot whistled through the air but was well saved by Christine Fonua. Maja Markovski put the rebound into the net but was offside when the original effort was struck and it stayed 1-0.
It was Preston who would score next. Ella Mastrantonio was at the heart of the move. She won possession with Bulleen on the attack, then played the forward pass to Torpey.
Torpey laid it back to Miri Nishimura and sped toward to return ball before firing on goal and doubling Preston’s lead. 2-0 with less than 30 minutes to play.
Bulleen were able to pull a goal back through Alana Jancevski’s penalty kick, but could not find the equaliser. That goal was not enough to secure them any points on the road, but with two games left to play and with things as tight as they are at the top, goal difference could still come into play.
Calder United 2-0 South Melbourne
Fourth-placed Calder United hosted third-placed South Melbourne and put a dent in their title hopes with a 2-0 win. The win means that Calder United are still not technically out of contention for first spot, although the maths of probability aren’t as on their side as the maths of the points tally.
Nevertheless, the win leaves them only one point behind South Melbourne on the table, and after a slow start to the 2023 season, they are finishing strong and looking ominous for the finals.
Keiwa Hieda continued her sparkling form in attack for Calder, scoring both goals late in the game with a brutal one-touch punch to end South Melbourne’s trip west with disappointment.
The first was a terrific turn and shot. After 83 minutes of arm wrestling, Calder had broken through with a piece of individual brilliance from the Japanese attacker.
The second goal came moments later. South were on the attack and Georgia Kandilas saw her shot saved by Natalie Picak. Clader went on the counterattack. Montana Matthews got the ball to Raquel Derales who moved it wide. Ahead of the play, Hieda was already making like difficult for the South Melbourne defence, darting into space dangerously.
When the ball was played to her by Larissa Walsh, she still had plenty to do. She raced toward goal, taking the most direct route and getting as close as she could before sliding it into the back of the net to seal the result in the 87th minute.
It was her sixth goal in three games and the skilful speedster looms as one of the potentially key players in the upcoming finals.
Bayside United 2-3 Alamein FC
Bayside United’s season is effectively over after coming up short in an attacking game against Alamein FC. The home side needed three points to have a hope of catching the top four and have the team to do it, but came up against an in-form Patricia Charalambous who scored the first and final goals of the entertaining afternoon.
The first goal came in the 34th minute, Elaina Vatcky and Sidney Allen combined on the left touchline to set up Charalambous for a tap-in to finish off a well-executed move and score her sixth of the season.
Allen was crucial again for the second goal. The Alamein captain linked up with Rebecca Saber to slide the ball across goal for an equally simple finish for Vatcky. Alamein had once again sliced open the Bayside defence, and Allen was proving a handful yet again.
Bayside found a lifeline after Olivia Bomford converted a 68th-minute penalty following a handball in the box. With the home side feeling like they were in the ascendancy it was suddenly game on with just over 20 minutes to play.
Julia Budiongo made sure of a dramatic finish with a 77th-minute equaliser. Kayla Deaver carried the ball forward and her cutback caused momentary chaos in the box. Budiongo kept a clear head with some neat footwork to make space and struck well into the net to make it 2-2.
The miracle comeback was not to be. Charalambous secured the three points for Alamein with a brilliant finish across goal in the 83rd minute. It was her seventh of the season and it guaranteed the visitors their sixth win of the campaign.
Southern United FC 2-4 FV Emerging
The NTC side got back to winning ways with an away trip to play Southern United. Emerging have been without a win since Round 15, and opened the scoring in the 52nd minute through Danella Butrus’s brilliant individual effort.
Butrus received the ball at the edge of the box and shaped to shoot before changing direction and beating four Southern United defenders before scoring her third goal of the season.
Southern United hit back soon after through Erin Keyt. Rhiannon Kelleher’s good work down the right ended in a dangerous cross that Keyt was able to turn in at close range to level the scores.
Parity lasted only moments before FV Emerging retook the lead straight from the kickoff. Nia Mohd Salleh ended a fast, direct but slick passing move from the centre circle when a neat half-volley from the goal mouth.
Emerging could have had a penalty when Butrus was slid into while shooting on goal. play was stopped while both players received treatment.
Isobel Coppel put Southern back into the contest with a goal direct from the corner. And with just over ten minutes to play it was all to play for.
The frenetic nature of the second half continued and Alana Cortellino had Emerging back in front barely a minute later. Butrus’s switch of play found the winger one-on-one and that is the sort of situation that the 16-year-old has loved this season. She cut inside, put on a quick burst of pace, and finished all in the space of a few yards.
Butrus looked to have succumbed to her injuries in the aftermath, she was able to walk off the pitch, but there was a long period of concern as she lay on the turf in visible distress.
Cortellino looked in the mood, and almost sealed the game with a trademark run and shot in injury time, but the effort whizzed over the bar.
The result was eventually sealed in the dying moments. Carina Rossi’s tap-in was the result of another fast-paced team move, capped off by some individual skill down the left wing.
Boroondara-Carey Eagles 2-4 Heidelberg United FC
Heidelberg United returned to the winners list after an uncharacteristic slump in results. By the form guide, a win away to the second-placed Boroondara seemed unlikely, but nothing about their season has been predictable or easy. They still have the talent to trouble any team, and this was a reminder that they can still impact the title race, even from afar.
This was a high-scoring game, with three goals in each half. Hayley Geurts opened the scoring as Boroondara took an expected lead. The captain lined up a direct free kick from long range that crashed into goal off the underside of the crossbar.
Kurea Okino continued her march to a certain Golden Boot with a typically thunderous drive to double Boroondara’s lead in the 29th minute.
Georgia Beaumont pulled one back for Heidelberg in the 35th minute. the visitors swept upfield with a thrilling counter-attack and Beaumont finished it off by cutting inside and finishing at the far post.
Miette Georgio levelled the scores with her first of the season and the first of the second half. She outpaced the Boroondara defence to get on the end of Katrina Nikpour’s long pass and finish with a powerful strike from the edge of the box.
Kathryn Vlahopoulos’s curling inswinging pass set up Nicole Blackett for the first of her two goals. The instinctive strike showed no hesitation and looped past the goalkeeper to put the Bergers in the lead in the 72nd minute.
Blackett sealed the win for the visitors with a strong shot from the right of the box. Boroondara’s defence had raced back in anticipation of a cross, but the South Australian took matters into her own hands with an excellent finish to cap off a strong performance.
The two meetings between these sides have resulted in 15 goals. Boroondara won the first encounter 5-4, and this match was just as entertaining. The 4-2 win to Heidelberg denied the Eagles a chance to retake top spot on the ladder. Essentially, nothing has changed in the title race. Bulleen remains one point ahead of The Eagles, with two games left to play.
But this game was about Heidelberg. After six successive losses, and heartbreak in the Nike FC Cup, they finally reaped reward for effort. Hopefully, we see these two teams meet every season for high-scoring, highlight-filled chaos.
Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Threads, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. DON’T MISS our brand new TikTok platform @ImpetusFootball too!
impetusfootball.org 