By Kieran Petrik-Bruce 20/3/24
Above: The Essendon Royals celebrate Ava Groba’s goal against Bulleen. Photo: Essendon Royals Instagram
Opening round of the NPLW Victoria kicked off on the weekend, this season 12 teams fighting to be champions, with two new teams to the top flight, plus Bentleigh Greens formerly Bayside United. More than half of the goals scored in the opening round came in the second half of matches, and there were some absolute stunners amongst them. We kick off the season with the opening match between Box Hill United and newly promoted Brunswick Juventus.
Box Hill United 1-2 Brunswick Juventus
Box Hill started the match with intensity, pressing forward in numbers and recovering the ball high up the pitch. The pressure combined with Juventus trying to play out from the back had most of the play in the Juventus half. Yet those first game cobwebs were occasionally allowing Brunswick to find some joy down the right wing off turnovers in midfield, but Belinda Stojcevski was seeing most of the play in front of her for the opening 15 minutes.
While the Juventus backline and midfield did well to squeeze the space initially, some great passing from Asuka Doi and Mawa Sumaoro looked to have unlocked the Brunswick defence with a ball through to Maryam Anvari, but Gidari was quick off her line to clear the danger. The occasional high line of Juventus being well patrolled by the Brunswick no 1.
The first real chance of the game came at the 20th minute, with that pressure in midfield from Cooling and Sumaoro forcing a turnover. The ball played into Doi just inside the box and a sweetly struck shot going over the crossbar but signs that Box Hill were starting to get into a groove.
Again another mistake from the Brunswick backline, with some questionable passing and Box Hill almost gifted a golden opportunity, if not for the brilliant reading of the play by Sienna Gidari who was again off her line and there to the aid of her team.
The next 10 minutes was back and forth with neither team craving out any good chances. Stojecevski with tep crunchingtackles in succession, the first clean and textbook the second was a little late and play as stopped as Lay received treatment.
The breakthrough come at the 34th minute as Olivia Ellis won the ball back, carried it down the wing, before a lovely pass down the right wing to Doi who cutback inside and crossed it into Anvari just inside the box, who took a controlling touch and calmly finishing past Gidari.
Shortly after the breakthrough, Ellis again with some more fantastic play somehow keeping the ball in and sending in a prefect ball high across the 6 yard line and Anvari with the header unable to find the target.
Brunswick were not creating much but a wide ball out to the right wonderfully controlled by Di Nucci who carried it into the box and crossed it into a number of bodies, well cleared by Stojcevski. Now on the counter Sumoro held onto the ball after Anvari had made a fantastic run, the attack coming to nothing.
Right on halftime Victoria Zikas went down after a challenge, called offside, the play stopped and the stretcher brought out for Victoria Zikas who had covered most of the grass in the first half with her relentless running.
To start the second half, Box Hill maybe thinking about the missed chances in the first half, as some sloppy defending were quick to pounce on the chance. Zoe Hudson making immediate amends with a last ditch tackle as well as a smart block from Natasha Stathopoulos in goal who had looked composed for Box Hill so far.
The second half playing out much the same as the first, with the pace and pressure of the frontline for Box Hill causing problems without translating it into opportunities. With Pythagoras did find a ball behind or manage a shot on target it was meant with Gidari who was playing as a defender and a sensational shot stopper and the reason that the game was still 1 nil.
The joy that Box Hill were seeing was from substitute Chiara Lettieri who came on for Zikas shortly before the first half ended. Some fancy footwork from Sumaro down the right opening up the switch on the left to Lettieri who made a lovely move into the box before letting a shot rip that was again well saved by Sienna Gidari. The ball half cleared and then Lettieri with another shot this time from the edge of the box which went wide of the post.
At this rate is seemed that it was only a matter of time before the pace of Ting and Anavri were going to find a second for Box Hill, and yet. Gidari was equal to everything thrown as her. Then in the 7th minute a long ball down the right hand side for Juventus, Cooper with an excellent control of the long ball, turning her defender and shooting from outside the box to score a stunner and set up an enthralling final 15 minutes.
The goal sparking Box Hill into life and a strong shot from Ting well palmed over for a corner by Gidari. The corner pinched clear by Gidari and out to relative safety.
Juventus with a triple change, signalling an intent to go for all 3 points. Box Hill starting to tire and while Anvari was working tirelessly, it was Brunswick with the momentum
In the 87th minute, Stringfellow went down under no contact holding her knee, which looked to be cramp. Meanwhile Juventus were again on the attack, a great long ball again down the wing, into Emily Keppens who played the ball into the box, followed by an magic touch from Cooper to pass the ball beyond the keeper and to a waiting Perrone who smashed the ball home from close range to complete a stunning comeback for Brunswick.
Round Up
Heidelberg United 2-0 Alamein United
Heidelberg hosted Alamein, and after 10 minutes had theirfirst for the season. Intercepting an Alamein attack, the ball played out to the left wing before being crossed into the box, and Steph Galea scoring with outside of the boot, wrongfooting the keeper and consolidating the opening dominance Heidelberg had. Keeley Lockhart, who was involved in the first goal, was on the end of a ball in from a corner taken short, and well headed home, Alamein were caught napping in the 43rd minute of the game.
FV Emerging 4-2 Calder United
FV emerging started their campaign against Calder United and this was a game of anything you can do I can do better, or at least as spectacular. Rossi with FV’s first in the 19th minute as a poor back pass was pounced upon and resulting in a simple finish around the keeper. The next goal however was far from a simple finish. On the stroke of Halftime, Calder had won a corner which was calmy headed away and a bouncing ball towards Akane Shimizo standing about 30 yards out was sweetly struck off the left, and half floated half arrowed into the crossbar and down and in for a stunner and an early goal of the season contender.
The second half, not to be outdone, Rossi hit a ball on the angle from outside the box over the keeper and into the bottom corner. Only Carina Rossi will know for sure if it was meant as a cross or a shot but the bar for best finish of the day was raised again.
Butrus, a halftime substitute, scored after Rossi again with some lovely play on the left, made no mistake about a cross or shot sending a ball across the 6 yard line and well finished by Butrus in the 61st minute.
Suddenly 3-1, Calder needed something to spark them back into life. A good ball played through to Shimizo in the 65thminute and a fabulous chip of the keeper to score her second of the day. Now equal with Rossi, which last for less than 45 seconds and from the restart a ball into the feet of Rossi meant she was able to turn and chip the onrushing keeper, not content with outscoring Shimizo, the chip signalling only one of the two strikers where going to be victorious today.
South Melbourne 4-1 Bentleigh Greens
Champions South Melbourne started their season with a comfortable win over Bentleigh Greens. Iermano with a smart finish for the first at the 8 minute mark after a great ball from Tayla Christensen. Just 3 minutes later, Christensen was on the end of a turnover and hit it sweetly and with curl into the net that while Chen got hands too she was unable to keep the ball out of the net. The third coming in the 48th minute, great interplay on the right wing and the cross into Christensen who got her head onto it but straight down and then ricocheted back to her, before she sweetly tucked it away for her second for the afternoon. The fourth goal coming in the 74; minute after a fantastic run through the middle of the park by Grace Taranto, taking on half the Greens midfield before Bella Sewards latching on the ball inside the box. Fernandez for Bentleigh with the late consolation goal, a gorgeous ball over the top well finished in the 93rd minute.
Boroondara-Carey 2-3 Preston United
Boroondara-Carey looked to have made a great start to the season after Gabrielle Hollar scored in the 10th minute of the game against Preston, Anais Josefski adding a second at the 32nd minute to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead at the break. Preston had other ideas, and after Rui Zhao scored from a freekick, possibly with a slight deflection from a defender, in the 55th minute, the Lions had all the play. Johnson finishing an equaliser in the 63rdbefore Adcock netted the winner in the 76th minute to complete the turnaround in style.
FC Bulleen 1-2 Essendon Royals
The final game of the round saw last ears Premiers host the newly promoted Essendon Royals. Early on it was clear that Essendon were ready to out of a fight and they defended from the front and then attacked in numbers. Looking to be physical with Bulleen the Royals looked hungry and highly capable at this level. Bulleen finding the most joy with Alana Cortellino, who looked every bit the part on the wing.
The first half looked like it was headed for a nil all score, Essendon having defender so well, and when they did get opened up, Mason-Jones was there to save anything the Lions could muster. In the end it was Bulleen who cracked first, in the 45th +1 minute a misplaced ball from the keeper and Essendon were in, Audrey Oastler with a lovely step to open the shot, scored against her former side, and immediately sprinted to the bench to embrace the coaching staff.
The second half again the Roayls up for the fight at before ends, Bullen starting to get into the game, but a long ball from Sutcliff found Groba in who started inside her own half but had 5 metres on the last defender, brought down the ball and finished calmly past the onrushing keeper.
Not to be denied some late drama, Bulleen in the 84th minute won a corner, Betti Michael whipping it in and Builc with the header to give the lions a sniff of a comeback. Indeed Bulleenhad many chances in the second half but could not find a way past Mason-Jones who pulled out worldie saves to deny the lions. Then, right at the death, Burn saw a shot blocked from about 6 yards out by Marie Rampal before the follow up by Sato was saved. Essendon with a stunning upset and a notice to the rest of the league that they mean business.
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