Round 2 of the NPL in Victoria occurred over the weekend with another exciting round of football in the books.
Which sides have started strong out of the blocks, and which sides have underperformed in the early part of the season?
Find out below!
Avondale FC 3-0 Melbourne Knights
Round 2 kicked off with the Knights hosting Avondale on Friday night at Knights Stadium, but it was a forgettable night for the home side who went down 3-0.
It was a fierce contest with nine players getting booked. Knights’ forward Trevor Ssemakula would be sent off, with Avondale keeper Bon Scott also red carded.
Central Coast Mariners loanee Manyluak Aguek would score the opener in the 22nd minute. Having been amongst the top scorers in NPL3 with old side Western United last year, he’d score his first goal at top NPL VIC level in his second appearance.
Ahead 1-0 at the break, Avondale would seal the game inside the final half an hour with Kristian Trajceski and Liam Boland scoring in the 72nd and 75th minute respectively.
Green Gully 1-0 Altona Magic
Green Gully have started the season strong, winning their opening two games. They’d face the Altona Magic at home on Friday night and would secure a 1-0 victory.
Gully would break the deadlock early, with Austrian midfielder Luc Jeggo scoring the opening goal of the game inside the opening 20 minutes.
The Magic put in an honourable performance and were competitive, but were unable to leave Green Gully Reserve with a point.
Bentleigh Greens 2-3 South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne escaped Kingston Heath Soccer Complex with a narrow victory over the Bentleigh Greens in one of the games of the round.
South would break the deadlock inside the opening 10 minutes through Pat Langlois, with the Greens levelling in the 21st minute through Jordie Van Der Laan.
South Melbourne would then go ahead again in the 31st minute, with Marco Jankovic scoring from the penalty spot to his side 2-1 ahead going into half time.
Bentleigh’s Jack Painter-Andrews would level the scores in the 77th minute, though would concede minutes later. Having started the game as a substitute, Jai Ingham would come on to score the winner in the 80th minute.
Eastern Lions 2-3 Oakleigh Cannons
Having lost their season opener, the Cannons got their season back on track with a victory away from home against the Eastern Lions.
It would a tight contest with both sides finishing the game with 10 men, with Ioannis Georgopoulos from the Lions and Daniel Clark from the Cannons sent off.
Cannons wide man Wade Dekker would score the opening goal in the 13th minute. Having scored the net in both the side’s opening games, he’s started the season hot.
The Cannons on the stroke of halftime would double their advantage through Joseph Knowles, though the Lions would rally in the second half.
Down 2-0, the Lions looked the better side in the opening 20 minutes of the second half, Christopher Droutsas and Marcus Dimanche scoring in the 48th and 68th minute to tie the scores.
Though the Lions hard work would come undone moments later, with Joe Guest scoring in the 74th minute to help his side take all three points.
Competitive once again, the Lions will be disappointed to finish the opening two rounds pointless.
Hume City 3-3 Port Melbourne Sharks
With City and the Sharks coming off draws in the opening round of the season, it would be more of the same for the sides in Round Two. In a six-goal affair, it was one of the games of the round.
Back at ABD Stadium and in front of the City faithful, Hume would start strong out of the blocks. Matthew Lazarides scoring the opener in the 34th minute before Josh Bingham made in 2-0 four minutes later from the penalty spot.
Luca Tevere would peg one back for the Sharks before the half, scoring in the 43rd minute. They’d then level scores in the second half, Valentin Cesnik scoring the leveller in the 61st minute.
Hume would go ahead once again in the 75th minute, Bingham converting from the penalty spot for the second time on the night. They’d look set to take all three points, but the Sharks would strike late with Omar Ammache scoring in stoppage time.
Heidelberg United 0-4 Dandenong Thunder
Though it’s only two rounds into the season, alarm bells will be ringing for Heidelberg United who after going down 3-0 last week, went down 4-0 at home to the Thunder.
Following his brace last week, Ali Sulemani was amongst the scorers once again for the Thunder, scoring the opening goal of the game in the 26th minute. The Thunder would then take a two-goal break into the main change, Florent Indalecio scoring from the penalty spot in the 39th minute.
James Poole would make it 3-0 in the 64th minute before Sanih Zijai would add a fourth in the 88th minute, capping off a memorable day Olympic Village.
St Albans Saints 2-1 Dandenong City SC
It would be Croatian derby to cap off the round, with St Albans defeating Dandenong City on Sunday evening at Churchill Reserve.
Following a scoreless opening half, the Saints would open the scoring in the 72nd minute, with Breno Naranjo Guerrini finding the back of the net 10 minutes after coming off the bench.
Though the celebrations would be short lived, with City’s Cooper Legrand also scoring 10 minutes after coming on as a sub, levelling scores in the 75th minute.
St Albans would score a late winner, Christopher Dib scoring in the 90th minute.
Image Source: Behind the Lens
