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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Outrageous goal return lighting up NSW football
Bulls FC Academy prospect Lachlan Sattout is a player in serious form.
The teenager was at it again at Under-20 level over the weekend, scoring another two goals to fuel a 5-0 rout of Mounties Wanderers.
Sattout scored twice in the space of four minutes, while Julian Rodriguez, Kaya Akdeniz Akdeniz and Stephen Varvaritis also scored for the table-topping Bulls, who led 4-0 by the 21st minute in the Football NSW League One U20 fixture.
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For 18-year-old Sattout, it continued an outrageous run of form. He is the competition’s leading goalscorer with 16 goals, having scored 12 in his past six matches.
Across the last three games, Sattout has scored seven goals – including his second hat-trick of the season. This from a player who missed the whole of 2024 due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
“Lachlan Sattout was out for a whole year with an ACL injury last season with the (Sutherland) Sharks and didn’t play a game,” Macarthur’s head of senior academy player development Shaf Sagol told aleagues.com.au. “But we believed in him and signed him.
“He is very mature and dedicated. Has great work ethic and character in the dressing room.
“He is technically gifted and sharp in tight areas finding solutions and composed in finishing. He has great ability to find space and timing of runs to hurt the opposition back line.”
The Bulls are five points clear atop the standings after 15 rounds, ahead of second-placed Newcastle Jets.
Newcastle showed no mercy in a 9-0 humbling of Canterbury Bankstown FC as Cooper Vimpani scored a 16-minute hat-trick.
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Wil Southcombe scored twice, while Shiwa Dul, William Eick, Noah Miller and Tommy Edmonds also found the back of the net.
At first-grade level in League One, Nicolai Muller’s Bulls continued their surge towards the top of the table.
The in-form Bulls made it five games without defeat and four successive wins by downing Mounties Wanderers 2-0 as they sit third in the table, six points behind SD Raiders.
Zane Helweh made it six goals in five games and 12 for the season while Dean Bosnjak also scored.
Macarthur Bulls CEO Sam Krslovic told aleagues.com.au of Helweh recently: “He is getting more consistent with goalscoring.
“The more consistency he has with that, the better for him and for club.”
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Krslovic added: “He realistically could be part of the first team squad in the near future. Very, very high opinion of Zane. Just needs to keep doing what he’s doing.”
As for the fifth-placed Jets, they proved too strong for Canterbury Bankstown FC 4-2 thanks to goals from Xavier Bertoncello, Garang Arou, Janni Rafty and Ethan Debono.
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Adelaide United are set to embark on a new era following Carl Veart’s departure as Isuzu UTE A-League head coach and Amlani Tatu is shaping up as a key part of the club’s future as he continues to shine in the NPL.
The 16-year-old prodigy was at it again in NPLM SA, scoring a stunning long-range goal in the 3-1 win over rivals Adelaide City.
Harry Crawford broke the deadlock for the third-placed Reds before Joey Garrucio rifled a shot into the back of the net.
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Then, Tatu produced another moment of individual brilliance in the 80th minute to cap Adelaide’s win in the Barossa.
All eyes have been on Tatu since his “explosive” debut for Adelaide in the NPL 14 months ago. Another exciting talent making his way through Adelaide’s famed football factory, the teenage sensation made his Isuzu UTE A-League bow in February and featured three times for Veart’s men after signing a three-year deal at the start of 2024-25.
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“Amlani is going well, he is a special player but will need time to flourish,” Adelaide’s Head of Youth Football Airton Andrioli told aleagues.com.au previously.
“He still needs to develop physically and mentally, something that we have discussed with him. The demands of A-League football is something he needs to adapt to and it won’t happen overnight.
“He needs to use the NPL games to gain confidence and continue to work on aspects of his game that need to improve.
“He also needs to constantly push him self through the pain barrier at training, working outside of his comfort zone to get to the next level.
“He is coming along well and should fulfil his potential at the right moment.”
Adelaide’s reserves, meanwhile, edged Adelaide City 2-0 courtesy of Chris Irakoze‘s sixth goal in eight matches and an own goal.
In NPLM WA, Perth Glory drew 1-1 at home to leaders Bayswater City after Sebastian Despotovski scored a 92nd-minute equaliser in the top-of-the-table clash.
Glory’s U23 side – second in the table – were 6-2 victors against Bayswater City as Cristiano Farfan bagged a hat-trick, while Oliver Evans and Tadiswa Shaun Mutyavaviri were also on target.
In NPLW NSW, in-form Bulls FC Academy were 5-2 winners over Macarthur Rams.
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Two goals apiece via Amber Luchtmeijer and Jynaya Dos Santos led the Bulls to their fourth straight win. Tamires Souza also scored.
Elsewhere, Newcastle Jets lost 4-1 at UNSW FC as Lacey Dobson scored a late consolation goal, while Western Sydney Wanderers were beaten 5-1 by Mt Druitt Town Rangers. Olivia Vanderlaan was the goalscorer.
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At U23 level, the Wanderers, Jets and Bulls all won.
Unbeaten leaders Western Sydney downed Mt Druitt 2-1 thanks to Hayley Muir and Mia Nataly. Jade Guichon‘s double led the Bulls past Macarthur Rams 2-0, while Newcastle won 1-0 courtesy of Aaliyah Kilroy.
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Victory field one of their youngest line-ups as City stay unbeaten
Melbourne Victory were on the losing end against Altona Magic 1-0 in NPLM VIC on Saturday night but there was significance in their starting XI.
Victory fielded one of their youngest starting line-ups with an average age of 18.6, including senior debutant Charlie Gorevski.
There were nine teenagers in the starting side – Alexi Houridis (17), Yona Sultan (18), Aaron Bazenski (18), John Radimisis (18), Gorevski (18), Patrick Wall (18), Tobenna Obani (19), Jesse Hoey (19) and Daniel Lazarevski (19).
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In the U23s, Victory are second and only a point off top spot following their 4-0 win over Altona Magic.
Goals from Phin Harbinson, Malik Olukhale, Edon Ajrovski and Will McIntosh fuelled Victory on the road.
In VPL1 VIC, Melbourne City remain unbeaten after rallying from behind to earn a 1-1 draw at home to Manningham United.
John Kellis equalised in the 77th minute, within five minutes of coming off the bench.
“John has unfortunately had to deal with many injuries through his time at the club but when fit is an elite goal scorer who is super active off the ball making clever movements to get in behind and in goal scoring positions,” City’s senior academy manager Simon Zappia told aleagues.com.au previously.
Alessandro Diamanti’s City are top of the table in Victoria’s second tier after 14 games, three points clear of Bentleigh Greens.
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Western United did not play on the weekend.
In the U23s, City overcame Manningham 2-1 via Luke Becvinovski’s quick-fire double.
Becvinovski scored twice in 11 minutes to lead City to within three points of unbeaten leaders Western United, who did not play over the weekend.
Western Sydney Wanderers and Central Coast Mariners played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in NPLM NSW.
Postponed to Saturday at Wanderers Football Park after rain washed out the game at Pluim Park on Friday, the Mariners twice came from behind to earn a point.
A Ben Mewett own goal put Western Sydney ahead before Jai Rose restored parity for Central Coast.
Lachlan Tilt gave the Wanderers the lead heading into half-time before Harper Ryles equalised five minutes from the end.
As for Sydney FC, they went down 2-1 to Rockdale Ilinden on Sunday. Mathias Macallister pulled a goal back for the Sky Blues.
In the U20s, Western Sydney and Central Coast also played out a 2-2 draw.
Johnny Pavlovic scored an 88th-minute equaliser for the Wanderers, who had led through Zane Stevenson. Xavier Dalpra and Muginga Mpota struck for the eighth-placed Mariners as Western Sydney dropped to second on goal difference.
Sydney FC, meanwhile, went down 1-0 at Rockdale.
In NPLM QLD, Brisbane Roar’s three-game winning streak came to an end following a 1-0 loss to Brisbane City.
Over in New Zealand, Wellington Phoenix reserves’ prevailed 3-2 in a Central League thriller. Lachlan Candy and Ryan Watson scored before Anaru Cassidy scored a stunning goal in the ninth minute of additional time.
The U18s were also 2-1 victors through Luqman Ibrahim and Philip Azevedo.
