By Kieran Yap 6/5/26
Above: Sienna Techera for Melbourne Victory. Photo: Passion Creations
We are nearing the halfway point of the season and only goal difference separate the top four teams, with four points between first and eighth. Round 11 saw Bulleen back in first, Box Hill and Boroondara suffer a rare stumble and Heidelberg score nine.
Box Hill United has been one of the most consistent sides so far this season, as they travelled to face Avondale FC, they had only lost twice. This encounter was an intriguing one on paper. The VPL Champions versus the NPL Grand Final winners, a star studded lineup up against a largely homegrown contingent, and two of the league’s best strikers at either end in Erin Keyt and Hannah Wilkinson.
Avondale were without Elise Kellond-Knight and Box Hill could not call on brilliant goalkeeper Keeley Segavcic, but both teams still had plenty of quality and that was obvious in a close, fairly even battle.
Sloan Young had a good first half chance for Avondale, but dragged her shot wide. Box Hill probed, but struggled to beat the home side’s press. Isabella Accardo was in terrific form against the much feared attack, while Kiara Bercelli was busy and dangerous for the visitors.
Only one goal separated the sides in the end. A moment of real quality from Hannah Wilkinson took her around multiple defenders and cut the ball back through a crowded penalty area to find Asuka Miyata. The midfielder’s cool finish found its way through the crowd to nestle into the bottom corner.
An early goal to Neve Duston was all that Alamein FC needed to beat Spring Hills FC. It was a strike worthy of winning any match. Duston somehow flicked a high, curling looping finish across goal and into the top corner after excellent buildup from Jessica Shilton and Savanna Anastasopoulos, with the move originally started in midfield by Duston herself.
The result arrests Alamein’s recent run of losses, earning them their first win since early April. For Spring Hills, it was the opposite. They have now lost four in a row, but this was one of their better performances in that time. Unfortunately Alamein’s defence were back to their stingy best.
Preston Lions FC travelled to face an in-form Essendon Royals and the newly crowned player of the month Kelli McGroarty. Preston’s defence was in fine form against the dangerous opposition, although the Royals had 16 shots for the game, few were what most would call easy opportunities.
Essendon largely controlled possession, but it took until the half hour mark to find a break through, Emma Langley finished off Akeisha Sandhu’s corner, to give them a deserved lead.
Preston responded eight minute later, also from a corner. Natalie Olsen’s delivery was met by Mizuho Yamada to level the scores. Despite Essendon’s persistence, Preston denied them a win at home and earned themselves a valuable point as they look to continue their climb away from the relegation fight. They are now undefeated in four games, and although they have only one win from that, their defence is becoming a real problem for even the best teams to deal with.
Keilor Park and South Melbourne faced off in a match that South would have expected to win as title aspirants, but Keilor Park are a more challenging side than their record suggests and held out for a 0-0 draw. Of South’s 23 shots on goal, only five were on target with Keilor Park willing to stay disciplined, physical and disrupt momentum in a game that South enjoyed the majority of possession. The draw keeps Keilor Park equal with Preston on 10 points, but stalled South Melbourne’s winning streak. After winning four in a row, they had to settle for a point, which sees them fall to fifth.
Bulleen Lions and Boroondara Eagles met at the Veneto club in a top of the table clash. Boroondara were in the unfamiliar position of needing to respond to a surprise loss against Melbourne Victory midweek and Bulleen had an excellent opportunity to win back first place again.
Bulleen found the early breakthrough. Maja Markovski nodded home Olivia Bomford’s corner in just the third minute, but Boroondara responded well and the match became a closely contested battle with Emma Vane influential as always for The Eagles.
A miraculous Rosie Rodger goal in the 36th minute doubled Bulleen’s lead, Sarah Cain’s driving run through midfield released Rodger into space on the right, and her high, clipped effort somehow found the net at the far post.
The crafty Bulleen forward is best described as “inventive” at her best, and this goal will be one of her greatest highlights. Was it a cross to Markovski or a shot? It was a ball into the right space before the keeper could get into position and that’s what counts.
A textbook corner from Boroondara gave them a lifeline in the second half. Zoe Bennet’s back post delivery was met with a perfect leaping header by Kanako Higuchi. But it came too late, and Boroondara could not find the equaliser.
Annabelle Yates and Catherine Renahan deserve plaudits for dealing with Boroondara’s fearsome wide players, and Emily Bunnell was influential off the bench in holding onto the lead.
Boroondara have not lost two in a row this season and will now face Avondale FC next week when they try and turn things around quickly.
Melbourne Victory put five goals past Bentleigh Greens in a dominant display for their third consecutive win.
Sienna Techera was the standout player in a team full of strong performances. Victory have now defeated Boroondara and Spring Hills in the past week of football, but they are starting to look as comfortable as favourite in a game as they do as underdogs.
Fiorina Iaria played Alice Francou through on goal to score in just the fifth minute, and put Victory in control early. Poppy O’Keeffe slipped a ball wide to Techera to score a curling finish ten minutes later.
Jessica Young scored a third for the home side before the beak with a back post header. Techera brought up her brace in the second half before Jasmine Millar made it 5-0 late to make the score better reflect the match.
Victory’s forwards will get deserved praise, and they were all excellent with a contingent of A-League players, coaches and Young Matildas manager Alex Epakis watching on. But the defence helped set up this win, Mila Bulic and Rosie Curtis were both cutting off attacks and driving Victory forward at every opportunity. O’Keeffe pulled the strings in midfield and is surely pushing for more A-League minutes next season.
More on Victory and Techera later, but first we must get to THAT game at Casey Fields.
Twelve goals were scored between Melbourne City and Heidelberg United. Most of them came in the space of about ten minutes of match time. Melbourne City have been improving in front of goal lately, and most fans would have been delighted at the prospect of scoring three against the reigning premier, but nobody would have predicted this scoreline.
Things looked ominous for the hosts when Aya Sasaki scored in the seventh minute for Heidelberg, but City managed to settle and it took until the 40th minute for Samantha Curwood-Wagner to add a second. She intercepted the ball deep in attack and forced her way through two defenders to finish with power from close range.
Irena Razumic added a third with a long range effort two minute later, and Rosie Wild made it 4-0 just before half time after heading home a corner. It could possibly have been five, but the referee denied what looked to be a Heidelberg penalty following a swift counter-attack .
Sasaki scored her second and third goals immediately after the restart. One from a driven effort at the edge of the area, and the next with a close range effort following another interception in attack. City’s commitment to playing out from the back is admirable, but it was costing therm dearly in this game,
Minori Akiyama scored Heidelberg’s seventh with a powerful effort from 18 yards and Sasaki scored another to make it eight in the 52nd minute thanks to a scrambled effort inside the six yard box.
At the 40th minute, it was still 1-0, in the 52nd it was 8-0. The damage was done, but the entertainment was actually about to begin.
Far from hiding from the game or the scoreline, City somewhat regrouped. There is character in this team, even if they were missing some key players due to Junior Matildas duty. Captain Maia Capitanio pulled one back with the best goal of the match to that point. She collected the ball 20 yards from goal and lashed a half volley into the net.
Mary Brown and Ellie Kirby combined in midfield to release Jami Marandola on the flank. Her effort crashed off the crossbar and over the line to make it 8-2 in the 59th minute.
Heidelberg hitb back in the 73rd minute when Razumic’s slaloming run earned a penalty. Heidelberg goalkeeper Mia Bailey wanted to get in on the days goalscoring and stepped up to take the spot kick, which was dispatched confidently to make it 9-2.
Mary Brown scored the final goal of the game with a high effort that caught Bailey unaware. It may have been a cross, but City had restored some pride in an otherwise tough afternoon.
The win was not enough for Heidelberg to jump up the ladder, but they are on 18 points, only one point outside the top six. City’s goal difference has taken a battering in the last month, but without the likes of Kaya Jugovic and Dali Gorr-Burchmore, this was always going to be a tough task.
There were some spectacular goals and some regrettable turnovers, but It was one of the most memorable games this season.
(note: there was no commentary on the stream for the first half of this game, and the Dribl app seemed incorrect in the second, so apologies for any errors and please let me know if any corrections are needed)
In Appreciation of Sienna Techera
Sienna Techera is still only 19 years old, but is practically a veteran of this league. The Melbourne Victory winger first featured in 2023, and over the last couple of seasons has established herself as a powerful forward with a creative streak.
Techera rose quickly at Box Hill United, culminating in last season’s Championship win, and has since made her A-League Women debut for Victory. With the U23 side in the NPLW she has been growing into this season as she rotates between the two squads but has recaptured her best form and looks to be a key player for the second half of the season.
Against Bentleigh, Techera looked unstoppable. Two well taken goals are only part of the story, she was electric on both wings, using her pace, and close control to keep Bentleigh’s fullbacks on high alert.
Techera scored two of Victory’s goals and with a change of pace and excellent cross, she teed up Jess Young for another. The direct goal contributions out of five made her one of the most influential players on the pitch, and Bentleigh had no answer for the tall but tricky attacker.
Techera can play anywhere across the front three and has featured at fullback for the A-League Women side, but this round saw the best of her , switching between the wings and attacking the goalmouth when the ball arrived.
She has always been capable of the spectacular, and has produced many great moments in this league over the past few seasons, but this was a great game by Techera, a nearly complete and completely dominant display of attacking craft.
She is a joy to watch, and is looking more confident and consistent with each season. Between this match and the publication of this report, Techera was awarded the Scholarship award at Melbourne Victory.
At 19, it feels like she’s been around forever, but it was a reminder that she is still just getting started. One of the stars of Victorian football.
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