Bulleen moves one step closer to promotion
By Andrew Bishara
A brilliant 8-minute blitz saw Bulleen Lions record a 3-1 win over St Albans Saints at the Veneto Club on Monday night to move one step closer to promotion.
A penalty by Matteo Ballan and a double from Sami Nour saw the hosts overturn a goal deficit, after the visitors took an early lead through Ross Harvey.
There were some nice moves early from the teams, but both struggled with their final balls.
Bulleen's Gianni De Nittis had the first chance several minutes in when he wildly struck a loose ball but it went high and wide.
The hosts grew in confidence as the game worn on and slowly began to take control.
Will Abbott had a glorious chance finding space at the backpost but his header went wide, before Nour next tried his luck, striking a clean volley but Saints goalkeeper Stuart Webster collected it.
The game turned on its head when the Saints took the lead against the run of play through a freakish Harvey free-kick.
From the sidelines the midfielder curled a Ronaldinho-esque ball that completely flew over the pack and Bulleen goalkeeper Stefan Sardelic's head.
As the second half kicked off, the game became locked in midfield.
St Albans were happy to compress the Lions and play on the counter, while the hosts tried to play through the middle.
The Saints were on top of the game when it again turned on its head, when Nour was held and brought down in the box, forcing the referee to point to the spot.
Ballan stepped up and calmly slotted in the equaliser.
St Albans completed crumbled after the goal, losing its composure and fell behind only minutes later.
Nour found space between the centrebacks and dinked a lob over the on-rushing Webster to make it 2-1.
The momentum completely shifted as Bulleen took control.
It was game over five minutes later when Nour got his second, smashing in a low drive under Webster's hands.
MATCH DETAILS:
FC Bulleen Lions 3 (Matteo Ballan 69’, Sami Nour 71’, 77’)defeated St Albans Saints 1 (Ross Harvey 34’).
FC BULLEEN LIONS: 21: StefaanSARDELIC (GK), 3: Will ABBOTT, 5. Lewis WADDELL (33: Davide CARDAMONE 57’), 8: Matteo BALLAN, 9. Sayeed Reza HUSSAINI, 10: Takanori NISHIMOTO, 11: Gianni DENITIS (13. Dean LORENZI 63’), 12: Eli LUTTMER, 14: Sami NOUR (31: Dylan BRESOLIN 78’), 16: Matt DIMECH, 18 Felix ROSMAN.
Unused Subs: 41: Luke Gallo (GK), 4: SamualBorghes
Yellow Cards: DIMECH 21’, LORENZI 88’
St Albans Saints: 1. Stuart WEBSTER (GK), 2. Ryan MCGUFFIE, 3. Nana Yew OTUO-ACHEAMPONG, 5.Tedros YABIO, 8. Ross HARVEY, 9. Barry DEVLIN, 11. Nick SCERRI (19. George NICESKI 52’), 13. Anthony BORAS (6. Stepjan TRBUHOVIC 84’), 15.Konrad DOBRASZKIEWICZ, 18. Ben SHAPER, 23. Daniel SWEENEY
Unused Subs: 21. John SCOLLO, 20. Ante KORUL, 22. Christopher BUCIC
Yellow Cards: SWEENEY 80’
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