By Kieran Yap 13/5/26
Above: Summer Laskey and Emma Runnalls celebrate a goal for Alamein. Photo: Passion Creations
The 2026 season is almost halfway over, and remains just as unpredictable as when it kicked off. South Melbourne secured a win over City and boosted their goal difference. Alamein FC ended Victory’s winning streak and Bulleen stay in first place for another week.
Bulleen Lions defeated Spring Hills FC 1-0 in a tight contest on Friday night. It was the first “Markovski Derby” with Golden Boot contender Maja leading the attack for Bulleen and coach Tom in charge of Spring Hills.
Bulleen controlled the match early, and created numerous chances, but were matched by a determined Spring Hills defence. Jenna Ibrahim was outstanding with probably the best goalkeeping performance of the round and Aubrie Labno put in several well-timed blocked to prevent the home side going behind.
Bulleen’s attack was looking dangerous, with Markovski missing a few chances she would usually put away. Ash Jordan and Olivia Bomford’s runs from deep were causing problems. At the back, Claudia Mihocic was unpassable for the visitors whenever Spring Hills launched and attack. Tiffany Eliadis was mobile and busy, as she continues to grow in strength the longer this season goes on.
Maja Markovsi’s 48th minute goal was all that separated the teams. Eliadis’s flick put the striker into space and she was able to finally beat Ibrahim with a well placed into the bottom corner. The win keeps Bulleen on top of the ladder, but only separated from Box Hill United by a single goal and equal on points.
Spring Hills FC drop for 11th and will start to feel the pressure of Keilor Park behind them.
Box Hill United won 2-0 at home against Keilor Park SC in Friday night’s other game. Sydney Minarik gave the home side the lead in just the second minute, and Kiara Bercelli doubled the advantage in the 19th. It was a comfortable win for the home side, even if the floodgates never quite opened. Goal difference will count for a lot at season’s end, and this might feel like a missed opportunity for one of the league’s pace-setters.
Erin Keyt’s brilliant form continued. Her low cross set up Minarik for her second goal of the season, and Bercelli has become one of the real stars of the competition this season. Keilor Park deserve credit for making life difficult for Box Hill, but did not threaten to take points off the reigning champions.
Saturday’s games saw some interesting results. Alamein FC defeated Melbourne Victory 3-0 at Dorothy Laver Reserve. The scoreline was one that was at once well deserved but also not entirely reflective of the 90 minutes.
Victory had the early momentum and created the best early chances, but Alamein’s experience and clinical finishing won the day. Summer Laskey continues to shine for the home side. Her pace and strength helped her get behind Mia Bulic, and she put a classy finish over Chloe Mckenzie.
It felt against the run of play, but Alamein took their chance well and were able to build on that. A first half penalty kick by Neve Duston gave the home side a crucial cushion that they were able to maintain for the rest of the game despite Victory’s relentless attack as they chased the game.
Fiorina Iaria was brilliant for the visitors. The Victory winger was tireless and creative on the left flank. Victory’s efforts deserved a goal, but Alamein were clinical when it mattered and are still only a few points away from top spot.
Heidelberg United welcomed Essendon Royals to Olympic Village and the two played out a 1-1 draw. Essendon established the early momentum and were rewarded with a 38th minute goal. Kelli McGroarty’s dummy opened up space for Bronte Peel to slot the ball home.
Heidelberg’s in-form striker Ji Youn Seo equalised in the second half. A rapid counter-attack ended with Irena Razumic. Her looping cross was met by Ji’s excellent volley.
The draw sees Essendon in fourth place behind a rampant South Melbourne.
South enjoyed their biggest win of the season with a 9-2 win over Melbourne City
Emily Roach stole the headlines with a hatrick including an Olimpico, and Heidi Dalton added three of her own.
The onslaught started early. Dalton opened the scoring in the fifth minute with an emphatic finish from Francesca Iermano’s cutback.
Roach scored her first in the ninth minute after making the most of a City turnover deep in defence. Anastasia Kyriacou did well to save from the initial free-kick, but could do little to stop Roach in so much space directly infront of goal after City tried a square pass in the backline.
Iermano got in on the act in the 18th minute. Her curling effort from long range was unstoppable in its placement and power.
Roach’s corner was nodded in by Tyla Jay Vlajnic in the 22nd minute and she set up Dalton for her own brace with a cutback into the six yard box.
City pulled one back through a moment of quality from Ellie Kirkby. Her aerial back-heel set up a one-two that put her in space. Her shot from 20 yards out was struck well enough to beat Geo Candy and make it 5-1.
Roach had another before half time. Tyla Jay Vlajnic’s cross caused havoc in the City box, and the ball eventually fell to Roach for a relatively easy finish.
Dalton’s hatrick arrived in the 41st minute with a venomously struck effort from 18 yards, and it was 7-1 to South Melbourne.
Emily Roach scored another belter of a long range goal in the 48th minute as South continued to take advantage of the midfield space.
Jami Marandola scored City’s second of the day with an opportunistic strike in the 64th minute. City had grown into the contest, but it was too late and South still had time for Raquel Derales to add a ninth after another turnover in playing out from the back.
Melbourne City are dedicated to trying to pass the ball through attacking presses and when it works it looks great, but teams are expecting it at this point in the season, and looking to take advantage with high pressure and early shots.
City are a talented squad but are conceding in the same way most matches and it may be time for a tactical rethink while climbing up the ladder is still a possibility.
The Bentleigh Greens dared to dream when they took the lead away against Preston Lions but the home side rallied and eventually ran out 5-3 winners in one of the most entertaining games of the weekend.
Kate Bennett opened the scoring for Bentleigh after they won the ball back and patiently moved it across the attack until the opportunity was revealed. The finish was spectacular, crashing in off the crossbar from the corner of the box.
Preston made it 1-1 before half time. Erika Di Tella pounced on a loose ball from a corner kick to finish emphatically for her first goal at her new club.
Another corner gave the Lionesses the lead. Hollie Massey scrambled the ball over the line just moments after the restart.
Massey was a standout for the home side. She was creative and mobile, full of running and attacking intent. Her goal was well deserved particularly after an excellent individual first half.
Dragana Kljajic’s set pieces were creating havoc for Bentleight’s defence and another set piece delivered the third goal. This time is was Mizuho Yamada in the second phase of attack.
Natalie Olsen’s clever turn in the 61st minute put her one-on-one with Ruby Samild and the finish was well placed to beat the advancing goalkeeper. Preston were 4-1 up and firmly in control, but Bentleigh weren’t finished and pulled one back through Candela Ferreyra Bas’s fantastic finish across goal.
Yuka Sato’s 73rd minute strike brought Bentleigh back into the contest, but Preston were able to find a steadying goal in the 86th minute to finally kill off the contest.
In the final game of the round, Avondale FC defeated Boroondara Eagles 2-1 away.
An intriguing battle between Avondale’s Asuka Miyata and Eagle’s maestro Emma Vane was one of the defining features of this game. both excelled in the midfield and their contrasting styles was a joy to watch.
Sarah Brunner’s gave Boroondara the lead in the 36th minute, but Hannah Wilkinson responded for the visitors in the second half. Miyata won the game in style for Avondale with a brilliant, long range solo goal. She caught Mia Mossman and every spectator by surprise with a nesrly unstoppable, dipping rocket. In a stacked field, that might be goal of the round.
The result sees Avondale remain in mid table, but Boroondara drop to fifth on the ladder. It makes it three consecutive losses for the early season standard setters, and after a Nike Cup meeting with Box Hill midweek, they can try and recover their league form with a trip to Keilor Park.
In Appreciation of Santi Escudero
Following the weekend’s games, Melbourne Victory announced that head coach Santiago Escudero will depart the club for an overseas opportunity. It will be a loss for the league as Escudero has helped develop some of the stars of Victorian football over the past couple of years.
During his time at FV Academy and in half a season at Victory, Escudero has coached teams that have been a delight to watch. His football is attacking, versatile, and adaptable. Victory’s mission this season has been to develop players to be ready for the A-League Women, results were secondary and education was the priority. Time will tell how successful he has been, but Victory’s U23’s have been impressive, brave and entertaining under Escudero.
From the outside it appears that Escudero can prompt rapid improvement in his players and at both clubs, they have looked confident in moving past harsh losses and setting their sights immediately on improvement.
FV Academy suffered some big losses last season, particularly against South Melbourne in the early rounds, but responded positively to eventually draw 0-0 with that same opponent in a rematch they were unlucky not to win.
Under Escudero, Victory have looked like a team full of potential, but they looked like a real chance to win most games they played in. Jasmine Miller, Fiorina Iaria and Mila Bulic come immediately to mind as players who have shown huge improvement over the past 12 weeks, while players like Poppy O’Keeffe and Jade Tam repaid the trust put in them by the Spaniard.
Aeryn Tarrant has enhanced her already sparkling reputation and Alice Francou has emerged as a consistent threat in front of goal, but for all the talent, they also have steel, and a professionalism to see out tough contests like the win over Boroondara or the Round One success away to Bulleen.
Escudero clearly prized possession but was not afraid of a long pass to beat the press or entrusting the likes of Iaria or Emily Rutkowski to power down the wing to attack or relieve pressure. He was willing to change approach without compromising his ideas of what made good football.
He will leave big shoes to fill, but luckily Victory have a good candidate. A-League Women championship wineer Jeff Hopkins will take charge of the U23’s for the interim.
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