Western United will travel to Springvale White Eagles for more Friday night NPL 3 action as the top four race heats up heading into the final seven rounds of the season.
Match Details
Springvale White Eagles vs Western United
Friday, 1 July
Kick-off: 6:15pm (Under 21’s), 8:30pm (Senior’s)
Serbian Sports Centre, Keysborough
Last time out
Western United returned to winning ways in both the Under 21’s and Senior’s competitions last weekend with victories over Box Hill United.
The Under 21’s rode yet another super goal scoring display from Greg Siamoa, whose hat-trick helped propel Vaughan Coveny’s side to another three points.
An early brace from Abel Walatee – his first two senior goals in NPL 3 – helped the Senior’s to a 2-1 win and ensures Anthony Frost’s side remains firmly in the fight at the top of the table.
United currently sits in fourth place on 29 points, with Preston Lions and Melbourne Victory each just two points ahead with seven games to play.
Previous Meetings
Western United is unbeaten against Springvale White Eagles across three meetings so far, with two coming in the suspended 2021 campaign and one earlier in this season.
Both meetings last year ended in wins for the Green and Black, with Sabit Ngor among the scorers in a 2-0 win after a 2-1 victory earlier on in the campaign.
The sides came together in Round 5 back in April this year, with Springvale giving United an incredibly tough outing at City Vista Recreation Reserve as Noah Botic scored two late goals to earn a 2-2 draw.
The Under 21’s failed to beat Springvale last year with a loss and a draw, but overturned that result with a remarkable 13-2 victory earlier this season.
The Opponent
Springvale sit second bottom in both competitions, though the Senior’s have largely been competitive throughout the season.
After sticking with third-placed Melbourne Victory for most of their match last week, Springvale ultimately went down 2-1 but showed their competitiveness throughout the contest.
The 2-2 draw earlier in the season is enough reason for United to know it will be another tough game, and another hugely important one in the race to the end of the season.
The Under 21’s weren’t quite as strong against Victory last week, succumbing to an incredible 14-0 defeat – the second time they have conceded double figures after United’s aforementioned 13-2 win.
Springvale are just one point clear of Ballarat City at the bottom of the table and have the worst defensive record in the league, with 68 goals conceded in 15 games.
Calder United gunning for 10 in a row against Alamein FC
Fresh from being announced as Western United’s inaugural A-League Women Head Coach, Mark Torcaso will lead his Calder United side into battle against fourth-placed Alamein FC with a 10th straight win on the line.
Calder has been on a roll after picking up one win through the first four rounds, with the nine subsequent victories coming with a combined goal difference of 32-1 – one of which was a 2-0 victory over Alamein in the last meeting.
This round of fixtures will bring an end to the second third of the season, meaning each team in NPLW has played each other twice before the final seven rounds of the campaign.
The Under 19’s will have a huge clash on their hands with a top of the table meeting with Alamein FC. Both sides are level on 29 points at the top of the league, with Calder ahead by a single goal on goal difference.
It was a 2-2 draw the last time the two sides met, but a win on this occasion could take the victorious side in a strong position to lift the title heading into the final leg of the season.
Match Details
Alamein FC vs Calder United
Saturday, 2 July
Kick-off: 1pm (Under 19’s), 3pm (Senior’s)
Dorothy Laver West Reserve, Glen Iris
Broadcast: The Senior’s match will be broadcast live on NPL.tv. Download the NPL.tv app and make a free account to catch all of the NPLW action.
