by Greg Blake
The holiday feel was deceptive. Melbourne’s Indian summer offered welcoming sunshine and a balmy near 30 degrees start for Heidelberg United’s Saturday night clash at Dandenong Thunder. The next 90 minutes twisted, turned and ultimately spiralled into controversy as Thunder finally edged the Warriors 3-2.
That Dandenong Thunder earned and scored from two penalties inside 11 second-half minutes is unchallenged, but viewed through the same lens it is of little wonder that Heidelberg’s entire bench were up and animated as Asahi Yokakowa – and his teammates – were vociferous in their penalty claims 86 minutes in.
Down by a goal following Hassan Jalloh’s scrambling 79th minute go-ahead for Thunder to make it 3-2, the depleted Warriors headed kitchen sink style towards the finish but turning down Yokakowa’s penalty plea also became the catalyst for seemingly furious Alexander coach, John Anastasiadis, to be red-carded and sent into the sheds.
It will be of little consolation to the coach, his players and the Warrior faithful by saying that Saturday night was a ripping game which provided an enthralling second half. But this game was both a ripper and enthralling to the bitter end.
And there were highlights. After a pedestrian start, a smashing strike from mighty Max Bisetto helped find Heidelberg United’s pulse in this testing, taxing thriller. Bisetto tried setting up Yokokawa eight minutes from half time, but the ball cannoned back and Bisetto hit it sweetly for 1-0
A tick past the hour mark a Yaren Sozer save and his extraordinarily instinctive follow-up in setting up a sprinting Fletcher Fulton some 60 metres downfield was a moment in itself. Better still that Fulton ever so calmly controlled and then slammed home a left footer, with his first touch of the game, if you don’t mind.
The Warriors led Dandenong Thunder on both occasions, but the lead was cancelled out both occasions as the home side secured two penalties inside eleven minutes early in the second half. Ali Sulimani scored from the spot in both the 53rd and 64th minutes before what proved to be Jalloh’s match winner late in proceedings.
Heidelberg’s luxury of a virtually unchanged side for the opening month of the season ended as well. Jamal Ali – on international duty – and Ryan Lethlean were out before the game and unlucky Johnny Apolostolopoulos was injured and hobbled out of the contest inside the opening quarter hour.
And Heidelberg’s depth was fully tested by the home side for a time, with Dandenong Thunder looking far the more likely to impact the scoreboard early on, during a rimfire opening ten minute assault. That didn’t break Alexander’s spirit. However the late game no-call on Yokakowa broke some hearts.
Heidelberg returns home (Home of The Matildas) next Friday night as they host a Hume City side on a four game unbeaten run
