South Melbourne ended FC Bulleen Lions’ finals hopes with a 4-3 win at David Barro Stadium on Sunday night in their Women’s Premier League match-up.
South’s win has also delayed Boroondara’s confirmation as WPL premiers and given the defending champs the upper hand in the battle for second place.
Bulleen (32 points) is now unable to catch fifth-placed Heidelberg (39) with two rounds remaining, while South Melbourne (42, plus 23 goal difference) is one point ahead of third-placed Ashburton (41) and two ahead of foruth-placed Bundoora United (40).
Boroondara Eagles (48) can mathematically be caught by South Melbourne but needs only a point from their three remaining games to seal the title, and even then has a goal difference advantage of 39 over South in the event they lose all three.
Bulleen’s defeat was emblematic of so many that ultimately cost the Lionesses a finals berth this season as they finished strongly chasing the game, but was unable to snare a late goal to share the points.
The hosts had also started brightly with Daniela Gudelj curling in the opening goal after just three minutes, with a touch on the way from South ‘keeper Frances Land, playing against her former club.
But South turned the tables with Ali Baker lobbing in the equaliser on 18 minutes after claiming a shallow kick-out from Bulleen goalkeeper Cassandra Dimovski.
Jamie Pollock then put South in front on 23 minutes when she read the ball best in a big pack of players to head in from at back post at a corner.
Bulleen hit back against the run of play on 32 minutes when Lia Privitelli battled to win the ball in two one-on-ones on the right, then break into the area and tee up Racheal Quigley.
Privitelli, back in the Bulleen line-up after missing much of the season with injury, then shot wide to the left after drifting in from the right flank just a minute before half-time.
South re-took the lead 10 minutes into the second half when Pollock’s not-so-firmly hit strike from the top of the area still looped perfectly into the top corner to beat Dimovski.
Bulleen kept attacking and Quigley netted her second after an exchange of quick passes at the top of the area with Cindy Lay playing her through.
But South had the final say as subs Rhea Schreuder and Sara Alberici combined, the latter sliding in South’s fourth after a darting run and cross from Schreuder on the right.
Bulleen took over possession and territory in the final 15 minutes but an organised South Melbourne defence never gave the Lions a meaningful look at an equaliser.
South’s chase of second place continues at Lakeside Stadium on Saturday when they host Caulfied United, while Bulleen’s penultimate game of the season is next Monday against Sandringham SC at Kingston Heath.
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FC Bulleen Lions 3 (Gudelj 3′, Quigley 32′ 64′) defeated by South Melbourne Women FC 4 (Baker 18′, Pollock 23′ 55′, Alberici 73′) at Veneto Club [HT: 2-2]
FC Bulleen Lions: 1. DIMOVSKI Cassandra (GK), 3. SCOTT Isabella, 6. FRIEND Caitlin, 8. LAY Cindy, 9. PRIVITELLI Lia (14. McGILP Charlotte 46′), 10. COPPOCK Em (2. SERNIO Tessa 58′), 12. IACONIS Liana, 19. GUDELJ Daniela, 20. NATOLI Alex, 21. QUIGLEY Racheal (5. STOCKDALE Maddie 68′), 22. DOLZAN Emily
Unused Substitute(s): 43. SNELLEKSZ Tori
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil
South Melbourne Women FC: 1. LAND Frances (GK), 2. DUDLEY-SMITH Brittany (3. FEAKES Jade 81′), 4. PRICHARD Jessie, 5. MARTINEAU Natalie, 6. CHEAL Alex, 8. HOWES Carol, 10. ELIADIS Tiffany, 11. LINES Saphri (7. SCHREUDER Rhea 72′), 12. POLLOCK Jamie, 16. FARQUHAR Lisa, 17. BAKER Alison (9. ALBERICI Sara 65′)
Unused Substitute(s): 39. MAJSTOROVIC Coco
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil