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.
Western United clinch U23 title as City sensation caps incredible season
While Western United’s senior academy side narrowly missed out on promotion to NPLM VIC, their U-23 team got their hands on the trophy.
After losing last season’s NPL 2 U21 Grand Final to Melbourne City, Western emphatically went one step further this time around following a 6-1 mauling of Melbourne Victory on the final day.
It was a ruthless display as Andreas Papanicolaou’s Western pipped Bulleen Lions to the title by just a point on Saturday.
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Ethan Robinson scored twice, while Christian Naveen, Abdurahman Omer, Makuac Reec and Alex Marmura were on target at Hume City Stadium.
Western got themselves in a title-winning position thanks to the dramatic 4-3 victory over Bulleen the week prior in Round 25.
Oscar Tanic‘s brace and goals via Tobias Servin and Hasani Lumu saw the A-Leagues academy side leapfrog Bulleen before finishing the job against rivals Victory.
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Over the weekend, Diogo Ferreira’s senior NPL side Western also had the chance to join champions and fellow A-Leagues academy Melbourne Victory in Victoria’s top tier next season, if results went their way over the weekend.
The Green and Black got their job done with a 4-2 win over Victory but Preston Lions’ 3-1 triumph at Langwarrin saw the latter promoted to NPLM VIC.
Isuzu UTE A-League contracted players Abel Walatee, Oli Lavale and Jake Najdovski scored for third-placed Western, while Mark Leonard also found the back of the net.
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Adem Duratovic (14) did not score for Victory but he did finish third in the Golden Boot race, one ahead of Western’s Najdovski (13).
Melbourne City finished the season seven matches unbeaten and in fifth position following a 2-2 draw against relegated North Geelong Warriors.
Kavlan Rahmani – who ended the campaign with four goals in three games, and Marcus Humbert scored as City surrendered a two-goal lead at home to the Warriors.
City’s U23 side also finished fifth but their goalscoring sensation took the competition by storm in 2024.
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Highly rated teenager Michael Ghossaini scored four goals in the final-round 9-1 humbling of North Geelong.
It took the 16-year-old’s season tally to 22 goals as he earned a share of the Golden Boot.
Ghossaini – a striker with a “very high ceiling” who has been scribed as a street-smart footballer – reached 22 goals in just 17 matches for City in the U23 competition.
He joined their academy from Glen Eira two years ago and has scored 55 goals in total across various competitions for City.
Ghossaini, who spent a month with the Lebanon U20 national team earlier this season, has also recently began training with City’s Isuzu UTE A-League side on a regular basis.
In NPLW VIC, former Melbourne Victory forward Maja Markovski took her tally to 16 goals this season as Bulleen Lions beat Alamein FC 4-1.
Liverpool legend’s message to Bulls FC Academy
The automatic promotion race is going right down to the wire and Bulls FC Academy received some motivation from a global icon.
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard sent a message of support to Craig Noone’s Bulls FC as they fight to earn promotion from Football NSW League One.
The Bulls are second in the standings heading into the final round following a goalless draw at leaders Mt Druitt Town Rangers.
Flynn Madden almost snatched victory at the death after his shot hit the base of the post.
Heading into the final round, one team will earn promotion to NPLM NSW, while the second-placed team will enter a play-off against the 15th-ranked side from the top flight.
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In League Two, unbeaten champions Newcastle Jets extended their historic streak with a wild 5-3 victory against Fraser Park.
Wil Southcombe, Xavier Bertoncello, Janni Rafty, Murray Peart and William Eick scored for the high-flying Jets, who are 27 matches without defeat in 2024 (W22 D5).
Newcastle can complete an undefeated season in the final round.
“At the end of the day, my job was to get the team promoted, produce A-League players,” Jets senior academy coach Damian Zane said via Football NSW. “So I have told the players that this is for them, they are going to remember if they go through the competition undefeated.
“It would be really special for them as a group and something they deserve for everything they put in.”
In NPLM NSW, the fight for survival remains on the edge.
Central Coast Mariners lost 2-0 to St George FC and they are 13th in the standings, two points clear of 15th-placed Sydney FC, who did not play over the weekend.
Western Sydney Wanderers’ winless run stretched to 12 matches following a 4-1 loss at the hands of Sydney Olympic.
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In NPLW NSW, Bulls FC Academy lost 5-0 to Macarthur Rams while Emerging Jets were beaten 3-1 by APIA Leichhardt with Josie Allan on target for the home side.
Roar history maker ends season on a high
Brisbane Roar closed out their NPLM QLD campaign with a 2-0 victory over Sunshine Coast Wanderers on Friday night.
Ty Cobb and Rylan Brownlie scored for the Roar at Nudgee Recreation Reserve.
Brownlie’s goal saw him finish the season as Brisbane’s joint top goalscorer alongside Ivan Ozzi.
It comes after Brownlie, the son of former Roar player Royce, netted a hat-trick the week prior.
The 17-year-old is Roar’s youngest ever Isuzu UTE A-League’s goal scorer after finding the back of the net against Melbourne City in December last year.
In NPLM SA, Adelaide United suffered a 3-2 extra-time defeat to Modbury Jets in their Elimination Final.
Jake Porter forced extra time after his dramatic 96th-minute equaliser for Adelaide but the Reds eventually succumbed to the home side.
Ryan White had pulled a goal back in the 68th minute as the Reds overturned a two-goal deficit.
In NPLM WA, torrential rain led to Perth Glory’s match against Stirling Macedonia being postponed.
The Glory must win their remaining three matches to avoid relegation.
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