In this weekend’s National Premier League action (NPL), several clubs faced critical matches with mixed fortunes. Melbourne Knights suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Dandenong Thunder. In contrast, Rockdale Ilinden secured a dramatic 3-1 comeback win over Sydney United 58. Dandy Hajduk and St Albans Dinamo both endured difficult losses. North Geelong Warriors experienced a shocking 7-1 collapse against bottom-placed Nunawading. Canberra Croatia impressed with a 6-1 victory. Adelaide Croatia’s struggles continued with a 2-0 defeat to Modbury Jets.
By Jure Sabljak
Knights Stumble in 3-0 Loss to Thunder
Knights fell to a 3-0 defeat against Dandenong Thunder at Tompsett Stadium on Friday night. Despite welcoming back Chris Oldfield and Tomas Karlovic from injury, the Knights struggled throughout a scrappy match. Thunder opened the scoring with a penalty converted by Jalloh in the 36th minute. This was followed by Clark’s goal just before halftime. Amerongen added a third in the 53rd minute. All three goals came from messy defensive situations.
The Knights will now turn their attention to their Australia Cup fixture against Beaumaris Soccer Club. After that, they will return to NPL Victoria action after Easter with an away match against Hume City. They hope to get their campaign back on track.
Dandy Hajduk’s woes continue with second consecutive 3-0 defeat
Dandy Hajduk’s difficult run of form in the NPL continued on Saturday as they suffered a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to Oakleigh Cannons. This marked their second consecutive loss by the same scoreline. The visitors established control early in the match, taking a comfortable 2-0 lead into the half-time break. Their dominant display left Hajduk struggling to gain a foothold in the contest.
The situation deteriorated further after the restart when Oakleigh extended their advantage to 3-0, effectively putting the game beyond Dandy’s reach. The defeat sees Hajduk slip to 10th position on the ladder, raising concerns among supporters. This comes after back-to-back 3-0 losses following a similar result against Avondale the previous week. The team will now look to regroup for their Anzac Day clash when they host struggling Port Melbourne at home with a 19:45 kick-off. They hope to arrest their current slide and climb back up the standings.
Photos Dražen Jurina
Dinamo drop points at home despite man advantage
St Albans Dinamo endured a disappointing afternoon at their Churchill Reserve home ground last Sunday, falling to Green Gully in a match they had expected to win. The visitors struck first, converting from the penalty spot in the 16th minute to take an early advantage. Dinamo fought back after the break. Lucas Byrns found the equalizer on the hour mark to restore hope among the home supporters.
The match took another dramatic turn when a Green Gully player was shown a red card in the closing stages. This seemingly handed Dinamo a golden opportunity to claim all three points. However, against the run of play and despite their numerical disadvantage, it was Green Gully who struck again with a late winner to snatch victory. Dinamo now face a challenging fixture on Anzac Day as they travel to Genis Steel Stadium. They will take on in-form Preston Lions, with kick-off scheduled for 20:30.
Sydney United surrender early lead in 3-1 loss to Rockdale
Rockdale Ilinden claimed a dramatic 3-1 comeback win over Sydney United 58 at Sydney United Sports Centre on Sunday. They sealed victory with two late goals.
The hosts struck early as Michael Pratežina fired a solo run and a 20-yard strike that bobbled past keeper Nick Sorras in the 3rd minute. Rockdale responded in the second half when Ali Auglah leveled with his first goal for the club.
With the match seemingly headed for a draw, Blake Ricciuto headed home a 90th-minute corner to put Rockdale ahead. Auglah then sealed the win in stoppage time, netting his second to secure three crucial points for the 2024 Premiers.
Warriors Humbled in 7-1 Thrashing by Bottom Side Nunawading
North Geelong Warriors endured one of their most devastating defeats in recent memory. They crumbled to a shocking 7-1 loss against bottom-of-the-table Nunawading. The Warriors found themselves in an insurmountable position by halftime, trailing 4-1 as their defense struggled to contain Nunawading’s clinical attack throughout the opening period.
The second half brought no respite for the Warriors as Nunawading added three more goals to complete the 7-1 rout. This humiliating result marks North Geelong’s third consecutive defeat. Consequently, they slide to seventh position on the ladder after what had previously been a promising campaign. The Warriors will look to regroup and halt their alarming slide when they return to home ground at Elcho Park on Saturday, April 26th, hosting Pascoe Vale. Kick-off is scheduled for 17:00.
Canberra Croatia hits Yoogali for six!
Canberra Croatia claimed an emphatic 6-1 victory over ten-man Yoogali SC at Deakin Stadium. Four goals came from substitutes in the final twenty minutes. The visitors were reduced to ten following Chaise Donetto’s dismissal in the fourteenth minute. They eventually conceded an unfortunate own goal from Isaac Donadel.
Thomas James was instrumental, creating three goals in the match, including one for Daniel Sparrow before half-time. Jayce Dotson added a third on the cusp of the interval. The floodgates opened in the final quarter as Nick Pratežina bagged a brace. Additionally, Maxx Green and Nicholas Subasic scored their maiden Croatia goals. Croatia will next host Queanbeyan City FC on 26th April with kick-off at 17:30.
O’Connor Knights on receiving end of 4 goal thrashing by Tigers
Tigers FC secured their first National Premier League win of the season with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over O’Connor Knights at O’Connor Enclosed. Archie McGregor netted twice as the visitors raced to a three-goal lead by half-time, delighting their traveling supporters.
McGregor opened the scoring midway through the first half. He pounced on a rebound after Kristian Nel failed to hold Noah Steinacker’s shot. Augustine Bangura doubled the advantage with a debut goal after good work from Nik Popovich. McGregor’s second came from William Akio’s cross in first-half stoppage time. The highlight arrived when Tomohiro Ogawa sealed the win with a spectacular forty-meter lob over Nel. O’Connor’s next fixture is an away trip to Riverside Stadium. There, they will face Monaro Panthers with kick-off at 17:45.
Capitatal Territory NPL Ladder
Adelaide Croatia’s woes deepen with another defeat
Adelaide Croatia Raiders’ see-sawing campaign took another hit as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Modbury Jets last Friday evening at Smith Partners Stadium. Despite facing opponents who sat just below them on the ladder, Croatia failed to capitalize on what appeared to be a golden opportunity to claim all three points. The Jets took control of the match in the 37th minute with the opening goal. They maintained their 1-0 advantage into the half-time break.
Any hopes of a Croatia comeback were dashed when Modbury doubled their lead in the 80th minute. This effectively put the result beyond doubt. The defeat sees Croatia slide to ninth position on the ladder as their season struggles continue to mount. They will now look to bounce back when they host Adelaide Comets at home on Thursday, 24th April, with kick-off scheduled for 20:00.