By Kieran Yap 3/6/26
Above: Leyla Hussein. Photo: Passion Creations
It was a highly competitive weekend of football in the Victorian NPLW. Bulleen Lions and Avondale FC played out an instant classic, Melbourne Victory won against Heidelberg and Essendon jumped into first place.
Friday night saw Box Hill United host Bentleigh Greens with the visitors boasting some new faces and another improved performance. Emma Robers, Kiera Meyers and Melissa Barbieri have joined to help The Greens climb out of the relegation zone and it took some incredible goals from Box Hill to settle this game.
The damage was done early by the reigning champions. Rhianna Pollicina scored a brilliant curler in the 12th minute, and two equisite finishes from Carina Rossi made it 3-0 before the break.
Box Hill looked to be in cruise control, but Bentleigh fought back in the second half, and wrestled back some momentum. A heavy knock to Rossi helped the visitors cause, but Meyers’ pinpoint cross for Candela Ferreyra-Bas delivered a goal to bring them back into the contest on the 66th minute.
Box Hill managed the game well to secure the 3-1 win but they would have expected more from this game. The floodgates never opened the way that they have for teams playing Bentleigh on other occasions this season, and combined with their two goal loss against South Melbourne it looks like Bentleigh are a much improved outfit. Box Hill were also missing the injured Erin Keyt, who surely would have made an impact, but the three points were important, to keep touch with Bulleen and Essendon at the summit.
Across town, Spring Hills FC and Melbourne City faced off in an entertaining 1-1 draw.
Aurbie Labno conceded an early own goal after some sustained pressure from City and gave the visitors a 1-0 lead. She would make amends in the 34th minute with a brave, diving back post header to level the scores.
Neither side could find a winner, but both teams attacked until the end. Maia Capitanio and Chelsea Biggs were proactive and energetic for City, while Isabella Arredondo was a standout on the flank for Spring Hills.
Both goalkeepers were in strong form with Dali Gorr Burchmore showing why she is viewed as a future Matilda with her best performance of the season.
The result does not help either team on the ladder, but both should be encouraged by the performance. Some more polish in front of goal and the scoreline could easily have been very different.
Saturday saw Alamein FC defeat the visiting Keilor Park SC 3-0.
The scoreline made the win look more comfortable than it was, and for much of this match it was a fairly even, arm wrestle of a game.
Alamein looked the most likely to score, Summer Laskey’s shot from distance looked dangerous off the boot, but missed the target.
There were five yellow cards in a combative contest, but things began to open up more in the second half. Emma Runnalls opened the scoring in the 48th minute, and Miranda Templeman was impassable in goal for the home side.
The game remained on a knife edge until the 89th minute when Runnalls turned supplier, playing in Neve Duston to give them a valuable two-goal cushion.
Alamein’s pressure did not let up even with the result secured and a turnover deep in defence was ruthlessly punished with a first time shot from Jordyn Toms-Wedge to make it 3-0 at the final whistle.
A Tyla Jay Vlajnic inspired South Melbourne won their game against Preston Lions 3-0 at Lakeside stadium.
The Serbian international won the ball in attack and weaved beyond the last defender to finish from close range in the eighth minute and an Emily Roach rocket from the edge of the box made it 2-0 in the second half.
Vlajnic’s cross in the 69th minute provided Francesca Iermano all the opportunity that she needed to score the third and there was no way back for Preston from there.
Former Heidelberg sharpshooter Ji Youn Seo started for the home side after signing midweek, but Preston fans were forced to wait to see Aimee Medwin and Sian Dewey take the field as Lionesses.
South Melbourne flexed their depth in the second half. Clancy Westaway, Heidi Dalton, and Raquel Deralas all entered the game. Young winger Alexis Panatazopoulos shone in the 20 minutes she was given. She showcased her explosive pace and confident passing range in a memorable appearance on the left.
The win put South up to fourth on the ladder, but closing in on the top two. Next up they face Heidelberg United who are coming off a 1-0 loss at home to Melbourne Victory.
The only goal of this game was scored early. Jasmine Millar confidently dispatched a penalty kick in the 17th minute after Mia Bailey fouled Alice Francou in the penalty box.
Millar was outstanding in this game. At only 17 years of age, she looked like as senior centre forward, and her growing consistency in front of goal will have impressed the club. This was her eight goal of the season.
Heidelberg United goalkeeper Bailey put in another strong performance and pulled off multiple save of the week contenders. But Heidelberg struggled to find options in midfield as Victory swarmed their creative players in the central areas.
The only downside to this win by Victory is a potential injury to Mila Bulic. The in-form fullback was subbed out early, and although Victory were able to continue on without her, she will be missed by this side when they face Avondale FC next weekend.
Avondale FC went to the Veneto Club to face top of the table Bulleen Lions in what turned out to be one of the best games of the season, although both teams might wish it wasn’t.
Bulleen started brightest. The home side attacked early and often, looking to make amends for an early season loss to the visitors in Round Two. However, those early chances were not converted and Avondale made the most of their first good chance when Sloane Young played a lofted pass through the Bulleen defence. Sidney Allen arrived right on time to finish and make it 1-0.
Olivia Bomford equalised for the hosts with a brilliant diagonal solo run, using a quick step over to create a little bit of space and making no mistake with the finish. The first half ended 1-1.
Both sides have real depth on the bench, but Bulleen had the last two Gold Medal winners in reserve. Maja Markovsi and Danella Butrus took to the field in the second half, later to be joined by Alana Cortellino and Nia Salleh.
Young restored Avondale’s lead with another exceptional run from the wing. While most were expecting a cross or cut back, she snuck the ball beyond Alyssa Dall Oste to make it 2-1 in the 59th minute.
Avondale might have been confident of a crucial win when Hannah Wilkinson made it 3-1 in the 77th minute but Bulleen would not accept defeat at home.
Emily Bunnell forced the ball home following a goal mouth scramble to pull one back with less than five minute of regular time to play.
With time becoming the enemy, Bulleen maintained composure, and increased their speed on play to score an equaliser with almost the last touch of the day.
Butrus surged down the wing and cross for the waiting Markovski and Tiffany Eliadis. Markovski got the final touch to secure a dramatic late winner.
Bulleen would obviously have preferred the win, but to come back from what looked like a doomed position so late against a side packed with quality could give them a huge mental boost as every point and goal becomes important in this season.
It was two points lost by an otherwise impressive Avondale, but they will be confident of a response, especially with the likes of Aideen Keane joining the squad.
Sunday’s only game saw Essendon Royals defeat Boroondara Eagles 4-0.
Similarly to Alamein’s win the day before, most of the damage was done in the second half, but Isabella Sewards’ classy goal in the 15th minute put the visiting Royals in a winning position they never looked like giving up.
Sewards ran onto a flick on into the box and lifted the ball over Mia Mossman for her fifth goal this season.
Some quick feet from Kelli McGroarty delivered an eventual second in the 80th minute. The American striker turned on a loose ball and shot immediately after swiveling into space to seal the result for the visitors.
McGroarty’s header put the ball into the path of Bronte Peel and the Essendon forward lashed the ball home for their third in the 87th.
Essendon continued to attack until the final minutes. Alessia Bresciano followed up well to take advantage of a goalkeeping fumble and give Essendon the goal difference boost they needed to climb into first position on the table.
In Appreciation of Leyla Hussein.
Heidelberg versus Melbourne Victory was the lowest scoring game of the round, but it was one of the most entertaining. A big reason for that was Victory forward and Junior Matilda Leyla Hussein.
The 17 year old playmaker has been in strong form over the past two rounds. She was Victory’s most dangerous outlet in the loss to Bulleen and their most creative force in the 1-0 win at Heidelberg.
Hussein has a bag of tricks, but is not a showboat. She knows when to use them to create space or maintain possession and more importantly, she knows when to release the ball.
Her run through the middle almost carried her the lenght of the pitch, and the final pass to Anika Dovaston was perfectly timed and weighted to create Victory’s best chance up to that point. She showed impressive poise and explosive acceleration in that counterattack. In other passages of play, she displayed quick feet and decisive passing in her best game of this season.
Hussein is an entertaining player who has the end product to match her imagination on the ball. Right now, she is more astute at providing the final pass or even the assist for the assist than she is at finishing herself. But she is adding that cutting edge in front of goal to her game. It took Mia Bailey’s best in goal for Heidelberg to deny Hussein at least one goal.
Leyla Hussein still has a long way to go until she reaches her full potential, but is already a incredibly exciting prospect for Australian football, and the Round 15 win was a great example of what she is capable of.
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