Bulleen Lions have progressed through to the Women’s State Knockout Cup Semi-Finals after dispatching a lethargic Heidelberg United on Monday night.
Goals at the start of each half to Emily Coppock and Tessa Sernio killed any sort of momentum the Warriors planned on building, with Bulleen eventually coming away with a routine win at Olympic Village.
The game started off in the worst way possible for the Bergers, with Coppock seizing on some loose keeping to put the visitors in front in the sixth minute.
Fleet footed winger Olivia Edwards delivered for Coppock from the wide position, whose shot forced American ‘keeper Kelsey Quinn into action.
She could however only parry the ball up into the air, and Coppock was Johnny on the spot to bundle home from a goalmouth scramble.
With the early goal setting the tone for the match, Heidelberg seemingly couldn’t take a trick from their opponents, who were controlling most of the play.
They did come close to an equaliser from a corner; the wicked ball from the set-piece causing havoc on the line, forcing a save from Frances Land in goals, and a clearance from a Bulleen defence that would’ve been sweating bullets, had it not been so chilly.
The rest of the half belonged to the Lions who were unable to capitalise on their dominance, as they headed into the break a goal to the good.
Heidelberg came out firing in the second half, with some swift passing and delicate through balls being matched only by Land’s swiftness off her line from goals.
It was Bulleen however that created the better of the chances, with Jessica Tay going fractions away from a second goal; the dangerous Edwards again turning provider as her cross was met by the midfielder whose glancing shot drifted inches wide of the far post.
Moments later they did make the breakthrough with Edwards again making herself a nuisance.
Her cross on the hour mark was met by Tessa Sernio, who bundled the ball through a packed 6-yard box and into the back of the net.
With the game slowly slipping away from the Warriors, they stepped into overdrive, with a 20-minute spell yielding a handful of quality chances.
Land was tested by Heidelberg, who pumped a number of long balls into the box, which the Bulleen custodian handled with confidence.
Successive free-kicks to Elise Kyrgios then had the Bulleen defence on the back foot – the first resulting in Angie Rassias’ drive from distance which flew narrowly over the bar – whilst the second saw the set piece curl wide of the post.
Penny Pakopulos then had the best chance to pull one back as she latched onto a diagonal ball, but her side footed effort on the angle landed the wrong side of the post.
With Heidelberg pushing hard to stay in the contest, gaps opened up at the other end of the pitch as Edwards came close to nabbing a goal in the final few minutes.
Her goal bound header was matched by an unconvincing clearance on the line, which saw the space open up for Tay who couldn’t finish under the Warriors pressure.
The sound of the final whistle was harsh on Heidelberg who had worked hard to get to the latter stages of the competition, but for Bulleen, the dream of the cup and league double is well and truly on the cards.
Heidelberg United 0 defeated by FC Bulleen Lions 2 (Coppock 6’, Sernio 60’) [HT 0:1] at Olympic Village
Heidelberg United: 1. Kelsey QUINN, 3. Maria TSOLACOS, 4. Michelle VERZI, 5. Angie RASSIAS, 8. Eleni FAKOS, 10. Elise KYRGIOS, 11. Penny BAKOPOULOS, 16. Kendra JONES, 20. Shakirah STEPHEN, 20. Holly TSALIKIDIS, 38. Ebru HASAN
Interchange: 14. Maree VOUTHAS, 24. Irene TERZOPOULOS, 31. Abbie POBJOY, 32. Elly TORRE, 44. Laura DI CLEMENTE
FC Bulleen Lions: 1. Frances LAND, 16: Isabella SCOTT, 22. Emily DOLZAN, 19. Salma TAWFIC, 17. Olivia ELLIS, 2. Tessa SERNIO, 14. Cindy LAY, 8. Jessica TAY, 13. Dani GUDELJ, 10. Emily COPPOCK, 15. Olivia EDWARDS,
Interchange: 9. Lia PRIVITELLI, 11. Tayla MURE, 3. Holly RICHARDSON, 7. Federica FREW, 37. Alysia BLEWONSKI