by Greg Blake
The bigger stage always commands big moments. At least one. After a massive run off-Broadway, Heidelberg United Alexander returned to the national stage on Wednesday night and continued its astonishing 2025 run with an uneasy 2-0 victory over northern NSW-based Weston Bears.
Alexander – into the business end of the Australia Cup for the seventh time – needed a couple of mighty big moments to prise open an Australia Cup exit door and shove the Bears out at this Round of 32 stage of the competition.
A very late Max Bisetto goal sealed the win after the Warriors spent the bulk of the contest sweating on a single goal advantage, courtesy of a first half Asahi Yokowawa strike.
The Weston Bears were terrific. They play out of a league featuring teams such as Magic, Rosebud, Valentine and Jaffas. For no particular reason I feel compelled to go and buy a bag of mixed lollies at the milk bar. That aside, the Bears were undermanned but as brave as the Kelly Gang. Heidelberg had to work for the win.
Anthony Theodoropoulos – one of four semi-regular starters – was as sharp and sleek as any in the early going. After 25 minutes of dominating possession and field position, the Warriors surged ahead as Theodoropoulos produced a critical big moment.
His superbly weighted loft sent Peter Klaassen striding deep into enemy territory, Klaassen squaring with precision to a sprinting Yokokawa to smash home on the volley. It was only goal of the opening half.
That lonely goal became incrementally more crucial as the clock ticked deep into the evening. Ryan Lethlean’s flying header to meet a fifth minute corner had rattled the crossbar and vibrant Jay McGowan belted a long distance effort thwacking against the very same crosspiece on 35 minutes.
Playing dead is recommended as a bear deterrent, but to the bear you’ve just shifted from threat to potential food. Still well alive on the scoreboard, the Weston Bears came at the drifting Warriors before the break. Cooper Buswell became an annoyance and wasn’t far off with a penalty claim.
This was the platform for Yaran Sozer’s first big moment, Mana Iwasaki’s late first half point-blank header drawing magnificence from Sozer yet again as he produced a possibly game-saving stop, finger-tipping over the woodwork.
Sozer’s follow-up moment was massive. By the hour mark the Bears were starting to bask in the spotlight, their confidence swelling as Buswell sliced through the lines, setting Chris Hatfield up for a right foot rifle shot which fairly sizzled towards the far post. Sozar’s full-length diving stretch and finger-tip angled Hatfield’s effort wide of the target.
Alexander re-booted late, culminating in Bul Juach coming off the bench and providing the set-up for Max Bisetto’s 86th minute match clincher. So that’s now 23 games undefeated and deeper into Heidelberg United’s astonishing 2025 season.
A mere three day break and its back to headquarters for a league match-up with an enemy on a hot streak. Boasting a record only bettered by Alexander over the last eight weeks, South Melbourne Hellas is waiting to spoil our party. The biggest derby of all kicks-off at 4pm Saturday.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
