By Kieran Yap 9/9/25
Above: Sienna Techera celebrates her goal. Photo: Passion Creations
Box Hill United will face Heidelberg United in the Victorian NPLW Grand Finals. A 3-1 to Box Hill against Bulleen saw them reach the decider against last year’s champions and this year’s runaway premiers who won their game against Essendon Royals 1-0.
Heidelberg and Essendon faced off for the second time in two weeks. Round 22 saw The Warriors win 3-0, but this was a much more tightly contested game.
The Royals went into this crucial game without the services of star winger Deven Jackson, but with Olivia Wood and Emma Langley, they still had the firepower to challenge Heidelberg.
The home side was almost at full strength and although it was a fairly open match. Heidelberg had the better opportunities. The deciding goal game early. Sawa Matsuda added yet another to her remarkable season scoring her 19th goal of the season after Bronte Peel’s effort was blocked and half cleared.
Alessia Bresciano was lively for Essendon. Her runs from deep and confident passing from the wing created their best chances, even if the finishes were not enough to test Mia Bailey in the Heidelberg goal.
The second half opened up further. Essendon had to chase the game and Heidelberg’s attacking press occasionally left space for that if they could get through the midfield. A brilliant, diving save from Bailey stopped Wood’s curling effort finding the top corner.
Not to be outdone, Zara Board pulled off a similarly athletic stop in the Essendon goal when she dived to block a goal bound Matsuda effort from range.
Essendon tried until the final whistle, but the equaliser eluded them. Wood was inches away from scoring but the cross to the far post was inches out of reach and Heidelberg was able to hold on to the 1-0 lead and book their place in the Grand Final.
They were made to earn it, but it comes as no surprise that Heidelberg have made another decider. They have been the most consistent and at times the most entertaining team this season. They have goal scorers in midfield, on the wings, from fullback and a seemingly unstoppable Matsuda in attack.
Their real strength lies on the bench where they can have game changers like Cameron Barriero, Steph Galea and Kathryn Vlahopoulos in reserve, but all able to improve their side and change the way the opposition has to play when they are introduced.
They are every chance of going back to back.
Essendon fall agonizingly short in a second successive season, but in the two years since promotion to the NPL, they have secured top four finishes. They had to overcome the loss of Ava Groba and continue to push for honours this season and only got better as the year went on.
The Royals clearly have the foundations of a strong club. They can develop players, as well as attract star recruits like Alana Cerne and Grace Maher. They probably did enough to deserve a goal in this game, but sometimes in football deserve has got nothing to do with it.
They will be back, and on the evidence of 2024 and 2025, it is likely they will be stronger again.
Heidelberg may be the best team of the home and away season, but over at the Veneto Club, the two best sides of the moment faced off. Box Hill had scored seven in the R22 game against Preston, and Bulleen put eight past Brunswick Juventus on the same turf. That did not necessarily mean lots of goals for this game, but it guaranteed quality.
Bulleen got off to the strongest start and an Alana Cortellino attack on the right set up Tiffany Eliadis for a close range chance that somehow came off the post.
Danella Butrus was lively as always and also rattled the woodwork with a strike across goal that had Chloe Mackenzie diving to reach.
Butrus was the one to open the scoring. Sarah Cain’s ball over the top found the winger in just enough space to beat Elwen Parbery and thrash her shot into the net.
Far from being discouraged by conceding, Box Hill began to find their feet in the game. Parbery was getting forward on the right and Josephine Aulicino was becoming more involved. Sofia Sakalis and Maho Murakami were both dangerous and forced saves from Emily Sheilds in the Bullen goal.
Rhianna Pollicina levelled the scores midway through the first half. A stunning, curling free kick from about 25 yards beat the wall and the goalkeeper to bring Box Hill back into it.
Box Hill took the lead moments before half time, Aulicino maintained possession with Nikolina Bucalo and created just enough space to shoot from the edge of the box. The ball found the bottom corner through a sea of players and despite the best efforts of Sheilds.
It was an all out attacking affair in the second half, and both coaches turned to the bench to maintain the pace and wrestle back the swinging momentum. Niah Salleh was introduced for Bulleen while Georgia Karaparidis entered the fray for Box Hill.
Karapardis’s trickery had Bulleen backpedalling before she set up Sakalis for a shot, but the ball went over the bar.
Bulleen would have felt hard done by, with a penalty shout to Butrus denied as she cut into the box and a few calls that did not go their way.
With time ticking away, Box Hill found the sealer. Aulicino’s driving run through the middle ended with a shot and save, but the ball fell to Sienna Techera and the new Melbourne Victory signing finished calmly for a 3-1 lead in the 83rd minute.
That result puts an end to Bulleen’s season, and they will likely disappointed ending 2025 without a trophy. However it was another strong campaign by The Lions who overcame a slow-ish start to make the semi-finals for the fourth consecutive season. They are the only club to do so.
They found their best football in the second half of the season, Isabella Accardo was excellent when she arrived in defence, Tiff Eliadis was crucial, they had to overcome a serious injury to Erin Hudson and Danella Butrus had a breakout season that could see her in Gold Medal contention.
Bulleen were undefeated in the last five games and it was unfortunate for them that they faced the only side in better form over that period.
The win makes it 10 in a row for Box Hill United, and it sees them into their first NPLW Grand Final.
Box Hill have been virtually unstoppable as they’ve surged towards the last game of the year. They have stars like Pollicina and Sakalis, but have players all over the pitch who can contribute to an aggressive, confident style of football. In Techera they have a genuine prodigy, a finisher and creator who can play anywhere in attack.
Chloe McKenzie’s form in goal has earned her a contract with Melbourne Victory, Aulicino is a player who can both boss a hand and break one open, and Holly Murray has been a pillar in defence.
The Grand Final is unpredictable, Heidelberg will be well aware that anything can happen on the day and it feels unlikely that 1-0 will be the scoreline.
This incredible season is headed for an epic conclusion.
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