Image: Smile for Peter
The most anticipated Victorian football league season in recent memory kicked off this weekend with NPL2 taking centre-stage ahead of next week’s opening round of the NPL. Unsurprisingly, those responsible for drawing up the fixture on St Kilda Road decided to commence the campaign with a blockbuster match-up befitting of a season opener in the top-flight, let alone the second tier.
The Dandenong Derby pitted rivals Thunder and City up against one another, with the two battling it out for the Jim Memeti Cup, at a time when the Mayor of Dandenong, who the trophy is named after, is spearheading the region’s A-League bid.
The 2012 treble winners had managed to retain the services of 42-goal Golden Boot winner Brandon Barnes, with the Englishman set to play a central role in proceedings on the night. Former Socceroo Simon Colosimo was joined at the heart of the defence by another former national representative in Rodrigo Vargas, who was one of four new signings in the Thunder starting 11 that had previously featured for Green Gully. However it was Hajduk who made the most noise in the off-season with a string of signings that raised eyebrows and caused envy across the league.
Seasoned A-League players Mate Dugandzic and Nick Kalmar were joined at the club by top-tier recruits such as Shaun Kelly, David Stirton and Steven Topalovic, while ex-Socceroo Ljubo Milicevic made a surprise return to the game, although his presence on the night was restricted to supporting his teammates from the sidelines as he returns to full fitness following a three-year exile.
Former Thunder manager Stuart Munro was the new man on the Hajduk bench, assisted by 2009 A-League grand final hero Tom Pondeljak, while the Thunder opted for the eccentric Italian Gianfranco Impellzzeri to replace Adelaide United W-League coach Huss Skenderovic, who was also in attendance on a near-perfect evening in Dandenong South. A crowd of around 2,500 nestled into the suburban arena as the sun set in the background, creating a fusion of colour and excitement around the place as the two sides walked onto the pitch.
While much was expected from City’s big-name additions, it was an old favourite who stole the limelight and continued on from where he had left off the season before. Barnes put on a majestic individual performance as he caused the headaches aplenty for the opposition defence with his first of the evening coming after some elegant combination play with compatriot and new signing Josh Bragg. Unheralded new signing John Kuol was played in the initial ball into the area for the goal and was troubling the City defence with his pace and directness throughout the 90.
While many would have expected Munro’s men to start the second half on the front foot, it was the home side who stepped it up a notch and doubled their advantage within three minutes of the restart when Barnes cut the ball back to Tomas Murphy, who neatly struck the ball across goal with his left foot and into the back of the net.
Man-of-the-moment Barnes then latched onto a superb cross-field ball from the returning Rinor Muriqi – who turned full-back Enes Sivic – and flashed another powerful low shot across goal past Damir Salcin for his second and Thunder’s third.
James Kelly came on for a limping and ineffective Mate Dugandzic, immediately reducing the deficit after making space for himself to strike past stand-in Thunder skipper Fraser Maclaren. Any hopes of a comeback were quickly diminished when Kuol’s long ball through the middle caught out Shaun Kelly and John Carroll, with the deadly Barnes pouncing and lobbing Salcin to complete his hat-trick.
City tried in vain to add some respectability to the scoreline but for the most part looked passive, disjointed and incoherent, with their hosts and Barnes capitalising to full extent. The good news for those in the hierarchy at Frank Holohan Soccer Complex is that it’s only Round 1 and the supremely talented squad they have assembled will ultimately gel and have plenty of character and leadership in the dressing room to bounce back.
The bad news is such a heavy defeat is hard to take for a proud group of players who looked dejected and disheartened come the final whistle, with their near rivals establishing a three-point buffer at the top of the competition.
Impellizzeri’s forces were solid in defence, industrious in midfield and deadly up front, with one of the best strikers in the land once more at the forefront of everything that was spellbinding on the night.
Those players who featured for the Thunder last year will know all too well not to get ahead of themselves given what happened last campaign, and with the likes of Colosimo and Vargas playing an integral role in the dressing room culture, thoughts would have quickly turned to another mammoth Round 2 derby clash away to fierce rivals Springvale White Eagles next Saturday afternoon.
***
Elsewhere…
Milojevic double helps Tortevski earn maiden Eagles win
Thunder’s next opponents were the only other side in East to claim all three points thanks to a thrilling 4-3 victory away at the Goulburn Valley Suns. An action-packed first-half saw five goals scored, with the home side coming back from a goal down to lead 2-1 before once more regaining the lead on the stroke of half-time after the visitors’ equaliser. Goals to Fabrice Ebe, new Scottish import Liam Baxter and Shaun Kane had cancelled out Vojislav Milojevic’s double, with the scoreline at the break mirroring the two sides’ opening round game from last season.
Springvale substitute Tapiwanashe Munyanyiwa levelled the scoring on debut following his summer move from Sunshine George Cross, with Milojevic turning provider as Vlado Tortevski’s enforcers pushed hard for the three points. They were duly rewarded in stoppage time when reigning NPL2 Rising Star Damir Stoilovic struck, set up by teenage substitute Cedric Benza, prompting pandemonium on the Eagles bench with a joyous bus journey back to Melbourne, as Nick Kalafatis’ men were left to rue a decisive penalty miss at 3-3.
While the two Dandenong clubs are heavily tipped to challenge for promotion, Springvale is a potential dark horse. With one of the most experienced coaches in Victorian football at the helm of a young, exuberant and exciting team headlined by one-time Bosnian international Nebojsa Pejic, the Keysborough-based outfit will see where exactly they stand in the promotion picture after squaring off against Barnes and co in front of another expected four-figure crowd.
Special praise must go to White Eagles winger Milojevic, who bagged a brace on return to the club following an eventful summer which saw his move proposed move to Bentleigh collapse. Other players might have gone into this campaign unmotivated and with their heads down after such a confidence-shattering experience, but not the 21-year-old, who contributed to the victory with a well-taken brace.
***
A-League recruits help Nuna to draw
A new-look Nunawading City grabbed only their fifth point in the NPL era with a well-deserved 1-1 draw away at the Eastern Lions on Sunday afternoon in front of a healthy crowd at Gardiners Creek Reserve. The home side took the lead early on through youngster Ryan Losty, only for City to equalise in the 51st minute as a fantastic ball through from the left by Matthew Saitlik found its way to former Melbourne City attacking midfielder James Brown to finish strongly.
Both sides had their chances to claim all three points, with Michael Jones skying his penalty high and wide for the Lions, while City hit the woodwork on two occasions through Mitch Cooper and Jason Trifiro, with the latter belting his shot from distance against the post. The 2011 VPL Gold Medallist dictated play for much of the contest from midfield as a more direct and pragmatic Nunawading encompassed a competitive edge while attempting to remain true to their well-publicised philosophy.
***
NYL champions salvage late draw
Melbourne City Youth salvaged a point late on against Richmond in a 2-2 draw at the City Football Academy in sweltering conditions on Saturday afternoon. The NYL Champions fell behind early on when they failed to clear with a corner, with Argentine forward Gonzalo Freddi taking full advantage as he tucked the ball home from close range on debut to give manager Paul Donnelly a dream start to his Richmond coaching career.
Young Socceroo Dylan Pierias levelled the scoring 10 minutes following the restart in the second half, only for another new signing in Robert Taylor to restore Richmond’s lead after meeting Valli Cesnik’s cross. Just as Richmond looked to secure all three points, City midfielder Ali Eyigun struck home from outside the box to ensure both sides took home a point for their efforts.
***
Scoreless stalemate on the border
An Archie Thompson-less Murray United played out a scoreless draw against Box Hill United in another encounter played out in scorching conditions. The hosts also had to contend with the absences of US import Fernando Posada, new keeper Abdulkerim Koc (still suspended from an incident while at Whittlesea), and one of the club’s best last year in Melkie Woldemichael. Meanwhile, Box Hill’s young brigade will also be ruing its lack of cutting edge in front of goal on the night.