Western United will look to make it two from two in NPL 2 Victoria when it goes on the road to face Brunswick City SC on Saturday.
Match Details
NPL 2 Victoria Round 2
Brunswick City SC vs Western United
Saturday, 25 February
Kick-off: 1:00pm (Under 21’s), 3:00pm (Under 23’s)
Dunstan Reserve, Brunswick
Last time out
Diogo Ferreira got off to the perfect start in his first game as a head coach, guiding Western United’s Under 23’s side to an opening round victory over Eastern Lions.
The Green and Black was given a stern test in its first game after promotion to NPL 2, facing an Eastern side that was playing in Victoria’s top division last season.
United stood up to the test and began the game well with plenty of early chances on goal but had to wait until after half-time for the defining moment.
It came from debutant Matthew Grimaldi who finished a sweet counter-attack with a searing finish, and United was able to see out the remainder of the game to pick up three points.
That was followed up by an emphatic win for the Under 21’s as Vaughan Coveny’s team piled in nine goals at City Vista Pavilion and Sports Field.
Sebastian Lo Monaco and Luke Vickery both scored hat-tricks for United while Yani Nassis scored twice and Oliver Lavale completed the scoring.
The win got the Under 21’s off to a blistering start following on from what was a promising NPL 3 campaign in 2022, one which saw the team finish third on the table and play in the finals for the first time.
The Opponent
Brunswick City fought hard to keep their place in NPL 2 last season, going right down to the final day to avoid being drawn into a promotion/relegation playoff.
A 4-2 win against Goulburn Valley Suns in the last match of the season – who United would later dispatch of in the playoff – ensured the side remained in the division.
Brunswick opened their season last weekend with a 2-0 defeat to Dandenong City, with both goals coming within the final 10 minutes of the game.
Junior Academy sides head to Avondale in Round 4
Western United’s Junior Academy teams remained unbeaten last week, with all four sides winning their Round 3 matches.
The Under 18’s and Under 16’s both lead their respective leagues with three wins from three, while the Under 15’s and Under 14’s are both equal second on seven points.
United will meet Avondale FC in at Avenger Park in Round 4, as each team looks to continue that positive run of form in the grading section of the season.
Western United Junior Academy Match Details
Sunday, 26 February
Avondale FC vs Western United
Kick-off times: 9:30am (Under 14’s), 11:10am (Under 15’s), 1:00pm (Under 16’s), 3:00pm (Under 18’s)
Avenger Park, Parkville
