It was another entertaining weekend of football in the National Premier Leagues across Australia. KEEPUP brings you the best bits.
Toure at the double on a day Adelaide’s youth dazzled
Panashe Madanha to Johnny Yull to Nestory Irankunda, back to Panashe Madanha to Bernardo Oliviera and finished by Mousa Toure.
It sounds like a sequence from the Isuzu UTE A-League, but it was a goal from the NPLM SA and a sign of just how bright Adelaide United’s future is.
In NPLM SA over the weekend, Adelaide’s league-leading youth team defeated MetroStars 2-1 in their top-of-the-table blockbuster thanks to a brace from Musa Toure at T.K. Shutter Reserve on Saturday.
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First there was Al Hassan Toure at Adelaide. Then, sibling Mohamed Toure burst onto the scene at Coopers Stadium before his big move to France. Now the youngest brother of the lot is lighting up South Australia.
After opening the scoring in the 31st minute, the 17-year-old – who signed a scholarship contract with Adelaide last month, having made his Isuzu UTE A-League in Round 1 of the 2022-23 season – doubled the lead eight minutes into the second half.
That goal highlighted Adelaide’s production line.
Madanha (18), Yull (18), Socceroo and teenage sensation Irankunda (17), Bernardo (19) and Toure (17) have all played A-Leagues football, and the youthful quintet were at the heart of a sweeping counter-attack to set up victory away to their rivals.
Toure capped the move with his iconic celebration as he made it three goals in two games, and five for the season.
Adelaide, whose Isuzu UTE A-League outfit are second heading into the final three regular-season fixtures, are top of the NPLM SA standings on goal difference through seven rounds.
The former Victory youngster leading the way in VIC
Pierce Waring is the Golden Boot leader through eight rounds of the NPLM VIC season, with seven goals.
The former Melbourne Victory youngster was on target in Green Gully’s 6-2 mauling of Moreland City on Friday – a result that moved the in-form club up to third in the standings.
Waring has been a player in form this season, scoring a brace in a 7-0 humbling of North Geelong Warriors in Round 7. The 24-year-old forward is ahead of Altona Magic’s Jonas Markovski and Avondale FC’s Liam Boland on the scorers charts.
He is a familiar face in Melbourne and one of three ex-Victory players in the Gully team, along with Gianluca Iannucci and Josh Hope.
Waring joined Victory’s youth team in 2015 and made his first senior appearance for the club in February 2018 – replacing Besart Berisha in a 3-0 win at home to Adelaide United.
He featured in four league matches that season as Kevin Muscat’s side won the A-League Men Championship.
His first goal for Victory came in the AFC Asian Champions League – Waring capping his first start in April 2018 with a goal against Chinese powerhouse Shanghai SIPG, who were boasting Hulk, as the Melbourne team stunned Vitor Pereira’s visitors 2-1.
Born in Melbourne to an Australian father and a Japanese mother, Waring – who spent four years of his childhood in Japan – joined J1 League side Cerezo Osaka in 2018.
While he did not represent the senior team, he did play for the Under-23 side across two years before returning home to Victoria via Bentleigh Greens, though he did spend a brief period with Chinese second-tier club Sichuan Jiuniu in 2021.
Meanwhile, Avondale are unbeaten and three points clear atop the table following their 3-1 victory away to Dandenong Thunder – a success inspired by a double courtesy of former Western United and Central Coast Mariners forward Manyluak Aguek.
In NPL3 VIC, there was drama between Caroline Springs George Cross and Nunawading City.
George Cross led 1-0 at half-time but they were sensationally reduced to seven men in the second half following three red cards.
Nunawading eventually made the most of their numerical advantage, equalising in the 84th minute before scoring three goals in stoppage time.
The Mt Druitt goal that went viral
Mt Druitt Town Rangers’ Anthony Frangie scored one of the greatest goals in NPLM NSW history during their 1-1 draw with Sydney Olympic on Thursday night.
Late in the first-half, Frangie fired home an unbelievable bicycle kick to open the scoring at Popondetta Park.
Frangie got on the end of a well-weighted cross to the top of the area and hit the ball perfectly, giving Sydney Olympic goalkeeper Nicholas Sorras no chance of stopping as it flew into the top corner.
Unfortunately, it wouldn’t yield three points for the Rangers as Olympic pulled one back through former A-Leagues striker Roy O’Donovan – but Frangie’s strike will live long in the memory of football fans after a show-stealing goal.
Rockdale City Suns are still two points clear atop the table, despite their match against the Bulls Academy being postponed.
APIA Leichhardt are second and still unbeaten following their 3-1 win over Manly United, while Marconi Stallions are three points further back after a 2-0 success away to NWS Spirit.
In NPLM WA, Floreat Athena and Balcatta are level atop the standings courtesy of respective wins over Perth RedStar (2-0) and Stirling Lions (2-1).
Goal Coast United top NPLM QLD after taking down Lions FC 1-0 away from home – a win secured by a goal from former Newcastle Jets and Brisbane Roar youth player Cai Tipaldo.
A memorable hat-trick for a teenage defender
Last year, Emilie Keppens was rated among the top 80 best female juniors in Victoria.
On Friday, the 17-year-old defender scored a hat-trick in FV Emerging’s wild 4-4 draw with Bayside United in NPLW VIC.
Keppens scored twice inside 16 minutes to give FV Emerging a 3-0 lead and she completed her hat-trick five minutes into the second half as the home side were cruising at 4-2.
But Bayside United rallied and equalised in the 97th minute to earn a point at Knox Regional Football Centre, where FV Emerging are still searching for their first win of the season.
In NPLW WA, Fremantle City crushed Curtin University 7-0 while Lions FC are four points clear in NPLW QLD thanks to a 6-1 demolition of Souths United.
