By Agron Dauti

Dandenong City has defeated FC Bendigo 4-1 in front of a lively home crowd at Frank Holohan Soccer Complex on Saturday afternoon.

The victory is City’s fourth-consecutive win and caps off a brilliant month of football for Ivan Duzel’s men.

The home side started the first half in cracking fashion, waiting only eight minutes for its first goal.

Centre-back Steven Topalovic took on two defenders before setting up Danijel Buhic, who placed the ball into the bottom corner.

FC Bendigo had a chance to equalise two minutes later but City’s Marko Stevanja was able to hold Mathew Breeze’s curled shot from inside the box.

The visitors kept trying to get their first goal but their numerous chances – including Mathew Breeze’s wide header and George Slefendrofas’ volley – did not translate on the scoreboard. 

FC Bendigo managed to find a way through in the 27th minute when Breeze’s wonderfully-struck free kick pigeonholed into the top corner.

Dandenong City did not have to wait long to regain the lead with Steven Topalovic once again in the heart of the action.

He received the ball close to goal before toe-poking the ball into the back of the net in the 32nd minute.

The hosts made it 3-1 just moments later when Dario Matkovic’s soaring strike from outside the box whizzed past Bendigo’s Christopher Xerri, who scaled back with the flight of the ball but could not get a hand to the brilliant strike.

The second half started slowly after an electrifying first half and the visitors had to wait until the 51st minute for their first good chance of the half – a well-struck free kick from Steve Martin that sailed just wide. 

FC Bendigo’s best chance of the second half came in the 64th minute when Viktor Rodriguez’s shot hit the crossbar and fell to Ben Shaper just metres from goal but his header was saved well by Marko Stevanja, denying Bendigo an almost certain goal. 

A handball from Tom Shaper gave the hosts a penalty in the 66th minute but Alex Rojas’ shot was saved by Xerri, who dived correctly to deny Rojas.

The penalty had to be retaken – a decision that favoured Dandenong – with Dario Matkovic converting the spot kick on the second occasion.

Both sides went back and forth for the remainder of the game, with FC Bendigo pushing forward but unable to put a dent in the scoreline due to Dandenong City’s steely defence.

Despite attempts on goal by FC Bendigo, Dandenong City pushed on until the final whistle – the game ending 4-1 in favour of the home side. 

Dandenong City coach Ivan Duzel credits the win to a brilliant team effort all round by his players.

“I believe [our] team effort was most important and I believe today probably in the first 10-15 minutes it was just about seeing how [FC Bendigo] were going to play but then it was just a question of how many we were going to score,” Duzel said.

“We told the boys ‘you have to play 95 minutes’, you can’t just relax – whatever you do first, you have to do ‘till [the] last [whistle]. We have to be happy, 4-1 home game and hopefully next week [with] Sunshine George Cross is winnable too."

The FC Bendigo were unavailable for comment.

MATCH DETAILS 

DANDENONG CITY 4 (Buhic 8’, Topalovic 32’, Matkovic 36’, 68’) defeated FC BENDIGO 1 (Breeze 27’) at Frank Holohan Soccer Complex. [HT: 3-1] 

DANDENONG CITY STARTING XI: 1. Marko STEVANJA 6. John CARROLL 9. Damian MISKULIN 19. Nicholas GLAVAN 12. Shaun FILIPOVIC 5. Alex ROJAS (11. Joseph SIEH 67’) 10. Sean SEAVILL (3. Simon STOREY 67’) 8. Dario MATKOVIC 4. Steven TOPALOVIC (21. Anthony MIJAC 80’) 2. Karim EL HILALI 17. Danijel BUHIC

UNUSED SUBSTITUTES: 31. Kirby ZIADA

YELLOW CARDS: El Hilali 87’

RED CARDS: None 

FC BENDIGO STARTING XI: 22. Christopher XERRI, 2. Tom SHAPER 3. Ben SHAPER (12. Ehsoo SHE 80’) 5. Josh ROMEIN, 6. Alon BLUMGART 8. Viktor RODRIGUEZ, 9. George SLEFENDORFAS 10. Mathew BREEZE (14. Sam SCOBIE 69’) 16. Steve MARTIN 17. Jonothan RYAN 18. Daniel PURDY (13. Finn HUZZEY 60’)

UNUSED SUBS: 15. Zack KINSMAN, 1. Gilard STARES

YELLOW CARDS: Blumgart 12’

RED CARDS: None