By Kieran Yap 1/7/25
Above: Box Hill United score the winning goal from the penalty spot.
Box Hill and Boroondara-Carey played out a five goal thriller, with Sofia Sakalis’s solo run helping decide the game.
Box Hill entered Round 14 with the announcement of a new signing. Dual Melbourne City premiership winner Rhianna Pollicina returned to the club to join the attack and wear the armband. She was accompanied by fellow A-League Women’s forward Carina Rossi who would form part of an attack with club icon Sofia Sakalis and Sienna Techera. When combined with the promising form of rising star Georgia Karaparidis and American import Josephine Aulicino, Box Hill suddenly look like a club that needs to supply popcorn at home game for the pure entertainment on show.
Their opponents may not boast as many big names but are now seasoned campaigners in this league and routinely find themselves challenging more established clubs for honours or ladder position. 2025 has been no exception for Boroondara-Carey Eagles and the visitors could not be taken lightly.
Box Hill started the brighter of the two teams. It is not unusual to dominate possession against Boroondara, but is can be difficult to forge chances against one of the league’s better counter-attacking sides.
The home sound found no such problem, a header from a corner kick bounced off the crossbar in the opening minutes.
It was not long before Box Hill had the lead and it was through the skill and style of Pollicina.
Sakalis and Techera combined out wide to put Aulicino in a shooting position. Her effort was blocked but the ball spun up into the air and fell kindly for Pollicina to volley home from close range.
In response, Boroondara went on the attack and nearly drew level through Drew Dempsey. The winger’s shot from wide did not seek to trouble Chloe McKenzie in goal but was a reminder of the danger in giving Boroondara half a chance.
That danger came to pass when Candela Ferreyra-Bas earned a penalty in the closing stages of the half. The former Box Hill player picked herself up to score from the spot kick herself and level the scores.
Box Hill retook the lead in the second half. Nikolina Bucalo’s cross from the right caused chaos in the Boroondara defence and Katie Cox was able to bundle it home to make it 2-1.
Another Box Hill attack almost provided a two goal cushion, but Angeliki Hondoulas cleared off the line to keep Boroondara in the game.
That almost proved fateful when Hayley Geurts’s free kick from very long range fizzed into the bottom corner for Boroondara’s second equaliser.
The visitor’s defensive efforts look to have earned them a valuable point, but in the 86th minute Sakalis had other plans. The attacker went on a long trademark run through the middle of the park and earned a penalty which Aulicino placed beyond Mia Mossman.
It is the type of chance few players in this or the A-League Women could create. Sakalis had the rare ability to carry the ball through central areas and attack with great pace and purpose. She’s a weapon and she delivered when Box Hill needed her most.
The result had implications at the top half of the table with Boroondara being leapfrogged by Bulleen Lions.
Box Hill will travel to face Bentleigh Greens and build on their improving form.
Around The Grounds
A long ranger screamer from Julia Budiongo sealed three points for Spring Hills at home to Essendon Royals.
Olivia Wood opened the scoring for Essendon in the first half after finishing a great counter attack. Maja Markovski levelled things up with a well placed header from a Spring Hills corner.
Mami Albo scored with an effort from the wing to give the home side a deserved lead. It may have been a cross but it looked on target the moment it left her boot. Budiongo’s long range drive ensured the win for Spring Hills FC.
Preston Lions hosted Bulleen and played out a game of two halves. The visitors ended the first half 3-0 ahead thanks to a brilliant run and chip from Ava Briedis, a scrambled close range finish from Isabella Accardo and powerful strike from Hollie Massie. It could have been more but Paige Zois’s effort skimmed the crossbar.
Preston brought themselves back into the match almost immediately after half time. Mebae Tanaka’s goal brought it back to 3–1 and Valentine Pursey’s 75th minute strike ensured a frenetic finish.
Bulleen held on for the win and find themselves in third place after the game between Alamein and South Melbourne.
A solitary goal separated the two top four sides. South Melbourne captain Francesca Iermano delivered her team the three points in the 88th minute.
A Rebecca Saber equaliser was not enough to rescue Bentleigh Greens against Brunswick Juventus.
The 55tu minute goal came either side of strikes from Natalia O’Leary and Sienna Cappola to secure an important win for the home side.
Sarah O’Donoghue’s first half brace gave Heidelberg United a 2-1 lead against a spirited FV Academy.
A well worked move that ended in an Emily Rutkowski goal levelled the scores in the second half but Heidelberg went up another gear and won 4-2 thanks to goals from Brontë Peel and new signing Caitlin Karic.
Following last week’s draw against South Melbourne, it was another strong performance by FV Academy against top quality opposition. It was not until Peel’s goal on the counter attack that the win looked safe for Heidelberg United.
Round 15 will see the runaway leaders face South Melbourne in what shapes to be the game of the round, but elsewhere third placed Bulleen face Alamein in fourth in a must win match for both sides.
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