Welcome to Wonderkid Watch: A weekly piece that keeps you up to date with the players and stories emerging from A-Leagues clubs playing at NPL level in Australia.
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Featured image: Melbourne Victory
Victory super-sub ignites six-goal thriller
And breathe! It was utter chaos at the Home of the Matildas, where Melbourne Victory produced a breath-taking comeback in their thriller with reigning NPLM VIC premiers South Melbourne.
It finished 3-3 under the lights in Bundoora on Monday night in one of the craziest games that will be seen in 2025.
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Back in Victoria’s top flight for the first time since 2016, Victory’s senior academy side found themselves trailing powerhouse South Melbourne 1-0 heading into the 77th minute.
Jordan Hoey restored parity for promoted Victory with 13 minutes of regulation time remaining in a goal set up by his twin brother Jesse, but last season’s Grand Finalists South Melbourne restored their advantage two minutes later.
Then, Tommaso Minutoli took over for Victory.
Introduced in the 86th minute as the home side desperately sought an equaliser, Minutoli sensationally levelled the contest three minutes later with a stunning finish on the volley.
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Minutoli played a key role in Victory’s promotion from VPL1 last season, scoring 12 goals in 18 appearances across 973 minutes for an average of a goal every 81 minutes. He also added another three for the Under-23 side, having scored a combined 102 goals between 2021 and 2022 at U21 and junior level.
If that was not dramatic enough, Minutoli then headed home what he thought was the 94th-minute winner after some great work from teammate Jing Reec.
But unbeaten and second-placed South Melbourne had the final say in one last twist as they equalised in the fifth minute of stoppage time to cap an incredible night in Melbourne.
The result left Victory on two points from the opening three rounds of the season.
As for Victory’s undefeated U23 side, they defeated South Melbourne 2-1 to sit top the of the table. Daniel Lazarevski scored his second consecutive brace.
In the second tier VPL1, league-leading Western United and Melbourne City were both held to draws over the weekend.
Western United drew 2-2 away to Brunswick City on Friday night, with goals from Jake Najdovski and Christian Polyzoudis.
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Western remain unbeaten and top of the table alongside Northcote City, two points better off than rivals City, who drew 0-0 against Northcote.
At U23 level, Western overpowered Western 6-3 to preserve their 100% record through three rounds.
Shifa Ahmed made it three goals in two games with a brace, while Harry Casci, Ibrahim Kaddour, Alex Marmura and Marcus Tavolaro were also on target.
City, meanwhile, drew 1-1 with Northcote.
Jets youngster tipped for ‘next level’ soars after ‘insane’ celebration
If you haven’t heard of Amos Okumu, you surely will soon.
While Newcastle Jets’ senior academy team saw their historic 30-game unbeaten run ended by UNSW FC 3-1 on Saturday, Okumu caught the eye for the U20 outfit in more ways than one during the 6-2 victory over the same opposition.
The teenage striker – in his third season within the club’s youth program – converted a first-half penalty and celebrated in show-stopping fashion, a gravity-defying summersault the 19-year-old has been doing since the age of eight.
“It seems like he is 100-feet in the air,” said youth team head coach Damian Zane via the Newcastle Herald. “I don’t know how you do that.
“His athleticism. I have never seen anyone get off the ground like that. There is no trial and error. If you miss it, you break your neck. You watch him do it live, it is insane.”
Oliver Cockle and William Eick scored braces for the Jets, while Murray Peart was also among the goalscorers as Newcastle made it three wins from three games to sit atop the Football NSW League One U20 standings.
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But it was Okumu who captured the imagination of those at the ground and online.
The young gun – who had a grade two hamstring tear at the end of 2024 – is dreaming of playing in the Isuzu UTE A-League. His coach things it can happen.
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“It’s my dream to play in the A-League. It is an even bigger dream to play for your hometown, the Newcastle Jets,” he said.
Coach Zane added: “He definitely has the ingredients to go to the next level.
“First year he came in, he was a bit different. He was big. As the year went on, he got better and better.
“Last season, he started developing physically. He played for the youth team in the second half of last season and gave us something different. When teams pressed, we could go to his feet with longer passes. He had a really good back-end of the year, then did his hamstring just before the finals.
“The way he has developed in the last 12 to 18 months – he has gotten quicker and he has size. Some guys can stay in the gym all their life and not get there. A lot of his is natural.”
In League One first grade, Bulls FC Academy celebrated their first win of the campaign after edging Bankstown City 2-1.
Levi Sciuriaga and Will McKay were the goalscorers for the Bulls.
As for the Bulls’ U20 side, they cruised past Bankstown City 6-1 courtesy of a 20-minute Stephen Varvaritis hat-trick and goals via Atiya Waraga, Lachlan Sattout and Atem Achuoth.
In NPLM NSW, Western Sydney Wanderers went down 1-0 to Sutherland Sharks.
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An understrength Sydney FC were beaten 5-0 by St George City.
“We had 12 players unavailable due to circumstances but we did give a few 17-year-olds their debut and they gave a good account of themselves,” head coach Jimmy Van Weeren said via NPL NSW.
Luca Pecora scored for Central Coast Mariners in their 4-1 defeat at the hands of Blacktown City.
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At U20 level, Western Sydney Wanderers are three from three and level atop the standings following their 3-1 success against Sutherland Sharks inspired by goals via Tristan Arrarte, Ewan Gasowski and Georgio Hassarati.
Angus Reid‘s second-half goal guided the Mariners past Blacktown City 1-0, while Sydney FC lost 4-1 at St George City. Junior Conde scored for the Sky Blues.
20 seconds! Adelaide young gun’s memorable goal
Who will be the next talent from Adelaide United’s famed production line to progress through the ranks at Coopers Stadium?
At NPLM SA level, their senior academy outfit made a winning start to the 2025 season after defeating Adelaide Croatia Raiders 1-0 thanks to super-sub Mutsa Mupandawana.
Mupandawana came off the bench and made himself a hero with his 79th-minute winner at the Croatian Sports Centre on Sunday.
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The youngster had only been on the field for 20 seconds when he capped a stunning team move for first senior goal in the NPL.
It all started from a goal-kick as Adelaide progressed the ball forward without being dispossessed, with Joey Garrucio then providing the assist for Mupandawana to score.
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Adelaide United’s reserve side, meanwhile, drew 2-2 at Adelaide Croatia Raiders.
Two goals in the space of six minutes via Sidiki Dukuly and Liam Stam saw the Reds overturn a two-goal deficit.
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In NPLM QLD, Brisbane Roar kicked off their campaign with a 4-0 loss to Peninsula Power.
The Roar were on the backfoot from the outset after Luke Nieuwenhof was sent off inside just 15 seconds.
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Saturday’s Round 1 fixture saw Christian Naveen, David Bolongi, Forbes Porter, Jack Child, Nieuwenhof, Noah Maieroni, Pearson Kasawaya, Sam Flannery all start in their first NPL match for Brisbane.
Despotovski’s double saw Perth defeat Armadale SC 4-1, with Nathanael Blair and Khoa Ngo also on target.
As a result, Glory secured second spot in Group A, setting up a last-four clash with Sorrento FC.
