By Kieran Yap 4/9/2025
Above: Sofia Sakalis during the ASEAN Championships with Australia U23’s Photo: Football Australia
Sofia Sakalis has had a year to remember and is hoping to add even more highlights. The Box Hill United attacker has been in dynamic form this season, that is nothing new. But she now has an ASEAN Cup winner medal with Australia’s U23’s and will be a key player in Box Hill United’s push for a Grand Final appearance.
A product of Box Hill’s youth system and an almost eight-year veteran of the A-League Women, Sakalis has been in career best form of late. Her ability to create chaos and panic in as defence with either a clever pass, or surging run have helped her childhood club to third place on the table and a meeting with Bulleen Lions on Saturday afternoon.
That form also earned the recognition of the national team setup and a call up to the U23 squad to travel to Vietnam.
That tournament win, the first by an Australian side since 2008, could be the ideal preparation for NPLW finals.
Close wins in the semi final against Vietnam and the 1-0 win over Myanmar in the final have reinforced an already fierce winning mentality.
“That feeling of the semi-final and then the final, it’s kind of do or die,” Sakalis said to Impetus.
“I think that’s the kind of mentality that we’re going to need to have in the semi-final as well, so it’s definitely going to help me to, try and get the girls into that kind of mind set.
“Obviously Box Hill haven’t been in finals For a while, so it’s something that we’re going to really have to instil before the game, and make sure we just leave it all out there.”
Box Hill have always been fun to watch, but something has felt different this season. There is as ruthlessness to how they attack, and they have only lost five times this season.
This finals appearance has been hard earned but well deserved by a club that has trusted in local stars as well as attracted decisive recruits. Although the hard work is just beginning, Sakalis is proud of what her club had achieved so far.
“I’ve been very invested in the growth of Box Hill over the years, and I feel like we’ve been creeping up each year, and we’ve been closer and closer, and now this season to finally making the finals feels so special.
“Especially for myself, being a junior of the club, and being there the last couple of seasons, and just think we’ve got the right mix this season with the players we’ve brought in, with the experience of player like ‘Mini’ Pollicina now, and our internationals have been fantastic, as well as our coaching staff.
“It’s just been a great mix, and it’s really exciting to be able to see what we can do now in the finals.”
Rhianna Pollcina and Sakalis are now in their second season together and it has been one of the most dangerous and entertaining partnerships in the NPLW. They have similar skillsets, but work in tandem to create chances for each other and their teammates.
“It’s been great playing with her,” Sakalis says of the Box Hill number 10.
“She’s probably one of the best players I’ve played with.
“Just the way she thinks, and obviously her experience and her expertise coming from that many seasons at Melbourne City as well.
“It’s also great to learn off her, but also just to be able to connect like that on the field and try and produce something that’s special and, help our team as well.
“It’s definitely been exciting, and I always look forward to playing with her.”
Although Pollicina and Sakalis have led the way alongside the likes of Josephine Aulicino, Box Hill’s rising stars have been valuable contributors to this benchmark season.
Teenagers Sienna Techera and Georgia Karaparides have both scored vital and spectacular goals, with Techera’s Round 22 effort a late contender for goal of the season.
“They’ve all been amazing,” Sakalis says of her teammates.
“I just feel like this season, we just have, like, the perfect mix of, that A-League experience and younger talents. I think Georgia has been fantastic. She’s a very raw talent. Same with Siena.
“They’re both great talents, and they’ve also been at Box Hill for a while, and also been part of, like, the junior ranks.
“So it kind of just shows as well what Box Hill has been able to produce.
“Then there’s Josie (Aulucino.)
“I think Katie (Cox) has been amazing too, so both of them have been pivotal, and they’ve obviously been there from the start of the season.
“It’s just been a great mix of players, and I think it’s exciting what we’ve achieved, and see what more we can do.”
Follow Impetus on social media –
Twitter (X): @impetusfootball TikTok: @impetusfootball
Instagram: @impetusfootball
impetusfootball.org 