By Kieran Yap 20/8/25
Above: Heidelberg United celebrate their top place finish
90 minutes, six goals, points shared and in the end the title went to Heidelberg United in a round where they did not have to play. Bulleen and South Melbourne’s encounter in Round 20 was a must win for both sides and neither got what they wanted, but still delivered another classic in a growing list of matches between the two titans of the NPLW Victoria.
South Melbourne’s season started brightly, but they entered this weekend needing to win to maintain a chance of making the top four, Bulleen have a host of clubs chasing them in second position and the premiers still had a mathematical chance of catching Heidelberg United at the summit within the three remaining games.
In high or low scoring encounters, when these two sides meet it is always a tough contest decided by the smallest margins. The most recent was an enthralling Nike FC Cup semi final that Bulleen came from two goals down to draw level, only to conceded almost immediately after kickoff and in the dying stages of the game.
Although Bulleen look set to finish the home and away season in a much stronger ladder position than South Melbourne, these two teams have similar traits. Both can be scored against, but neither are ever really out of the game. When they collide it is guaranteed entertainment.
The wrinkle in this tale, is that by winning or drawing, South Melbourne would send the premiership to their traditional rivals Heidelberg United. Although by Round 20 this looks to be an inevitability (and who could begrudge them lifting the trophy?) It meant that a win would be somewhat bittersweet.
South took a 25th minute lead through a corner kick. Emily Shields came to claim the ball but the Bulleen goalkeeper somehow diverted the ball into her own net. It was a particularly harsh way to concede considering her excellent save in the lead up to the set piece.
Olivia Bomford doubled the lead quickly after. Meisha Westland’s pass found Nikki Furukowa out wide and the ball across goal fell nicely to Bomford to meet at the back post.
It was 3-0 before half time. Furukowa took advantage of a poor clearance to give South a seemingly unassailable lead at the break. It was a half volley of terrific technique but Bulleen would have been disappointed after having multiple chances to clear the ball in the lead up to the goal.
Bulleen started the second half in much stronger style in the second half, but it still took until the 69th minute for them to find a lifeline. Paige Zois’s ball forward found Tiffany Eliadis. The utility who began the season with South Melbourne earned a penalty which she confidently converted.
At 3-1 down and the game entering the final 10 minutes, it still looked over for Bulleen despite their attacking intent. But with players like Alana Cortellino on one wing and Danella Butrus on the other, they can never really be counted out.
The lighting fast Cortellino played a one-two pass to get herself into a position to reach the line and cross. Following a goal mouth scramble, Butrus was on hand to fire home from close range and bring it back to 3-2 with six minutes of regular time to play.
Butrus’s wizardry has been both a regular feature and a brilliant highlight of Bulleen’s season. the two-footed attacker can be relied upon to come up with something more often than not, and in the 87th minute she delivered an incredible solo goal to level the scores.
Butrus cut in and out, shifted angles, changed paced and somehow created just enough space to shoot powerfully into the roof of the net. It was 3-3 and there is no planning against that kind of invention.
That goal and the entire second half meant that Bulleen stayed in second place at the rounds end. But the end result meant that there was no way of anybody catching Heidelberg United at the top of the table.
Around The Grounds:
With 47 points and two games remaining, Heidelberg United are the 2025 Premiers of the Victorian NPLW. It is an incredible achievement. They have built on the success of last season’s dramatic heroics in the Grand Final and adjusted to becoming a side other clubs measured themselves against.
There has been a confidence and composure to every Heidelberg game. They recruited astutely in the pre-season and in the transfer window. The return of Bella Wallhead has been instrumental, and the arrival of Tamar Levin has surely seen the former Brisbane Roar midfielder back on A-League Women radars.
Goalkeeper Mia Bailey went from star recruit to matchday captain, and Cameron Barriero became one of the league’s very best free-kick takers.
Heidelberg played entertaining football and won games as a matter of routine. In striker Sawa Matsuda they had a reliable goalscorer who could convert half chances and punish any slight defensive error.
This was a mighty season from an admired club. It may feel slightly anti-climactic that they secured the premiership in a week where their game against Preston Lions was postponed, but the players and staff won’t mind and Olimpic Village is the place to be this coming weekend.
Congratulations to Heidelberg United.
In other games, Bentleigh Greens overcame conceding in the second minute against Boroondara-Carey Eagles. Priya Savarirayan’s looping shot from 20 yards opened the scoring and is surely a contender for goal of the week.
It took until the second half for Bentleigh to equalize through Olivia Ingham. She finished truly after Samantha Curwood-Wanger’s run and shot caused chaos in the six yard box.
Tanika Lala scored the winner in the 77th minute. The substitute kept her composure to slide the ball under Mia Mossman and give the home side a rare and valuable victory.
A Deven Jackson brace helped Essendon Royals to a 3-0 win over FV Academy. The New Zealand winger was on the end of a flowing counter attack to finish from close range in the eighth minute. She doubled the advantage in the 58th with a well hit shot from inside the area.
Renee Pocock sealed the win with a late goal after getting past the goalkeeper in the 80th minute.
The result saw Essendon jump to third on the table and right on the tails of Bulleen. Only one point separate the two with Bulleen facing a trip to face Heidelberg in Round 21.
In a midweek catch-up game, FV Academy came from behind to draw with Spring Hills FC 2-2.
Goals to Eri Narita and Mami Ambo have Spring Hills a 2-0 lead, but the home side rallied in the second half and secured a point thanks to a penalty kick and a goal from Emily Rutkowski that has to be seen to be believed. Here it is, I can’t do it justice.
Spring Hills FC overcame a dangerous Brunswick Juventus to win 3-2 at home. Natalia O’Leary opened the scoring in the ninth minute for the visitors, and the lead was doubled by Mary Stanic-Floody with a typically spectacular goal. The Young Matilda’s corner kick seems to evade the Jenna Ibrahim in goal, and she looked surprised but happy to claim the goal nonetheless.
Julia Budiongo stepped up in the second half with a brace to rescue Spring Hills. The first was a simple tap in after Leia Varley hesitated under a bouncing ball. Budiongo was on the scoresheet almost instantly again. She arrived with perfect timing to finish a direct attack down the left and tap in at the far post.
The winning goal came from the boot of league legend Aleks Sinclair. Mami Ambo earned the spot kick and Sinclair finished the chance to give them a 3-2 lead and three points.
Box Hill United continued their charge up the ladder and a win over finals rivals Alamain FC saw them jump into fourth on the table.
An outstanding strike from Carina Rossi gave Box Hill the lead in just the second minute. After winning the ball in attack, Rossi received a pass wide of the goal, but sent her left footed effort high into the net.
Rhianna Pollicina’s curling strike doubled the lead before the break. Box Hill won the ball with a forward press and Pollicina was on hand to take full advantage.
Alamein gave themselves hops with a goal early in the second half. They forced the ball forward contest-by- contest until it fell to Zoe Houghton who finally knocked it over the line.
Despite that lifeline coming early, Alamein could not find an equaliser. Holly Murray was outstanding defensively for Box Hill in the vital game which saw them open up a five point lead over the fifth place opponent.
Next weekend, Heidelberg will celebrate the premiership when they host second placed Bulleen Lions at home. Essendon Royals face South Melbourne with a chance to climb into second place and Box Hill face a potentially tricky game against Spring Hills FC.
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