By Kieran Yap 15/7/26
Above: Former Heidelberg star Sarah O’Donoghue. Photo: Adrian Geremia.
South Melbourne score a crucial win, Preston hold Bulleen and Box Hill are back on top in Round 20 of the NPLW Victoria.
Carina Rossi starred off the bench for Box Hill United Pythagoras on Friday night. The striker scored twice in the space of three minutes to help the reigning champions to a 3-1 win over an ever dangerous Boroondara Eagles.
Box Hill were the dominant side in this game, and established an early lead when Sydney Minarik finished well after five minutes of play. Box Hill played a short corner and the nod down at the far post presented the unmarked Minarik with an easy finish at close range.
Although Box Hill continued to threaten, Boroondara prevented further scoring until the hour mark. Rossi’s first came via a trademark Box Hill buildup. Eight passes were made around the edges of the penalty box with Maho Murakami pulling the strings. The final ball found Rossi with plenty to do, but in enough space to fire a missile into the bottom corner from 18 yards out.
Rossi’s second came before Boroondara had time to settle. Rhianna Pollicina’s long range effort crashed off the woodwork and the Box Hill number nine was on hand to poach their third of the evening.
Coco Parker’s strong form for Boroondara continued when her 70th minute goal gave the Eagles a lifeline. Parker controlled a long ball out of defence, and displayed excellent hold up play to get the ball wide to Elise Cook.
Parker continued her run to meet Cook’s excellent cross at the back post and nodded in to pull one back for the visitors.
Bulleen Lions were left frustrated by Preston Lions in a 2-2 draw that cost them top spot on the ladder.
It was an attacking game by both sides, but Bulleen got off to the perfect start when Ash Jordan finished a perfect through ball from Sarah Cain in the seventh minute. it took two passes and one first time finish to go from central defence to the ball being in the back of the net, but Preston were not cowed and Charlotte Hrehoresin denied the visitors until Valentine Pursey could equalise before half time with a well taken half volley.
Bulleen re-took the lead after the break. Maja Markovsi was dangerous all night and scrapped for a lost cause in attack. She won the ball back, beat a couple of defenders and cut the ball to the far post for Danella Butrus to score with a simple finish.
Pursey levelled the scores late, but with one of the goals of the week. A defensive turnover from Bulleen presented her with the chance, and her dipping shot from distance beat Alyssa Dall Oste to ensure the two Lions sides had to split the points.
Friday night’s third game saw Avondale FC defeat Bentleigh Greens 3-0 in a comfortable display for the surging side from the Calabrian Club.
Sloane Young opened the scoring in the third minute. a rapid attack down the right flank somehow ended up with Young getting a final touch right in front of goal.
Beattie Goad scored the second after the break. A brilliant bisecting ball from Teodora Djuric put Goad in behind the defence, and the former Matilda made no mistake.
Hannah Wilkinson netted in the 88th minute to put some distance between the teams on ther scoreboard. Young’s weaving run took her past three defenders but the shot was blocked. The rebound fell to Wilkinson at the edge of the box, and her spectacular finish made it 3-0 to the visitors.
Essendon Royals celebrated Ava Groba’s 100th game with a 3-0 win at home against Keilor Park.
Kelli McGroarty scored her 23rd and 24th goals of the season to give Essendon a deserved lead before half time. The first was a towering header to finish off Akeisha Sandhu’s perfectly placed corner.
Ayano Koizumi provided the killer pass for McGroarty’s second. Once the American striker was in space, a goal felt inevitable and Essendon had a comfortable lead going into the break.
Fittingly, Groba scored the final goal of the day. The quicksilver forward latched onto a half chance provided by a poked ball from Cobi Wilbert to make it 3-0 and see the club favourite mobbed by teammates in celebration.
Alamein FC were victorious in their journey to face Heidelberg United, winning 2-1 at The Olympic Village.
The home side were without their prodigious but experienced playmaker Sarah O’Donoghue with the premiership winner departing for an oversea opportunity.
Savannah Anastasopoulos’s driving run down the right created the first goal. Her cutback found Summer Laskey, but the striker’s effott came off the post. Emma Runnalls was on hand to give Alamein a 23rd minute lead.
Anastasopoulos was the architect of Alamein’s second goal as well. Her cross bounced off the bar and Mila Ralph scored in the second phase of play. The eventual shot was a strong, curling effort through a packed defence, but Heidelberg would be disappointed not to clear the ball earlier.
Heidelberg were given a lifeline on the hour mark. Pressure in the attacking third created a turnover and Olivia Wood finished well from the angle, striking powerfully beyond Miranda Templeman.
With the derby between Melbourne City and Victory postponed, the final game of the round saw South Melbourne defeat Spring Hills FC 1-0.
It was a game as close as the scoreline suggested, even though South got off to a strong start, attacking down the wings with regularity and opening their account through Alexis Pantazopoulos’s finish at the far post.
South enjoyed the majority of the possession and created more chances, but the Spring Hills defence, marshalled expertly by Natasha Dakic, held strong. Ayana Aoyagi continued her strong form since rejoining the league with another excellent display in goal, saving strongly from more efforts by Pantazopoulos.
Margaux Clarke was introduced by the visitors and Spring Hills regained some momentum in the second half, but South brought on their own reinforcements in the form of Alana Cerne, and the game turned to a tough, slightly congested contest in difficult conditions.
That meant that one goal was enough and South Melbourne remain in the race for top spot with six games remaining.
In Appreciation of departing stars
The NPLW Vic has seen two bright stars depart for different overseas adventures in the past two weeks. Sarah O’Donoghue departed to play for Shanxi Xihua in the Chinese League One. Last week Melbourne Victory bid farewell to Emily Rutkowski. The fullback is headed over to the USA college system to play with Mercer University.
These players are taking very different paths, but demonstrate the possibilities that exist for Australia’s young talent. O’Donoghue is a gifted playmaker. She is tricky on the ball, but with good vision and sharp instincts. Heidelberg relied on her on their march to the premiership in 2025 and she rewarded them with a series of entertaining and productive performances resulting in four goals from midfield over 12 games.
The former Brisbane Roar and Perth Glory attacker leaves Heidelberg after six appearances this season, but her role will be difficult to fill. O’Donoghue is an enigmatic talent, capable of deciding a game with a moment of genius and a delight to watch.
Rutkowski joined Melbourne Victory after a season training with the A-League squad in 2025 followed by a return to FV Academy in the second half of last season.
She was a revelation at both fullback positions. Scoring four goals in eight appearances in FV’s strong finish to the season. Rutkowski added another two goals for Victory’s U23 side in 2026.
This column has written a lot about Rutkowski in the past two seasons, but she is hard to ignore. A powerful runner, with explosive acceleration and a thunderous strike, she is also blessed with strong positioning and a mentality to seize the moment and decide games.
Rutkowski is a lot of fun to watch, a hard worker and human highlight reel in one. The sky is the limit for the 19 year old and we cannot wait to see what her future holds.
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