Reigning champion Bulleen Lions will defend its TeamApp Cup in the final after a 3-0 semi-final win against Heidelberg United at Broadmeadows Valley Park on Tuesday night.
Finishing separated the teams as a decisive Bulleen left wasteful Heidelberg on the wrong end of a lopsided score.
Goals to Beattie Goad and Ash Beagley had the Lions up 2-0 at the 16 minute mark, before Tessa Sernio’s late penalty ended any hope of a Heidelberg comeback.
Bulleen’s net lived a charmed life at times as Heidelberg failed to take chances either to lead or spark a comeback.
Julia Nicolaci had the first clear-cut chance of the night, with her slow-moving shot hitting the post in the fifth minute after a cut-back from Mexican international Anisa Guajardo.
Goad made the miss hurt when her dash down the left in the 12th minute ended with a left-foot cross into the area, lobbing Christine Fonua in the Heidelberg goal and falling in the net.
The spectacular goal swung the momentum in an instant, after it had been Heidelberg – and Guajardo’s pace and dribbling – looking the greater goal threat up to that point.
Bulleen capitalised on a shell-shocked Heidelberg to score again just four minutes later, as Goad’s cross from the left picked out Ashleigh Beagley to turn on the ball and score from close range.
Guajardo tried to net her own cross-shot special from a tight angle in the 26th minute, flashing the ball across the face of goal.
Christy Zwolski shot straight at Cass Dimovski with a firmly-hit strike from the top of the area 10 minutes later.
Bulleen nearly scored a third in the opening seconds of the second half when Goad’s cross to Cindy Lay was well saved by Fonua.
Guajardo forced a good save from Dimovski in the 70th minute as she shot from a tight angle on the left of the penalty area.
Cindy Lay won the penalty that sealed the game in the 83rd minute when she threaded a one-two with Em Coppock through the top of the box and was adjudged to have been fouled by the combined challenge of Laura Phillips and Lisa Fonua.
Tessa Sernio’s precision spot-kick found the top corner to end the scoring.
Bulleen’s Ash Beagley was a pacy threat for much of the night on the wing and was relishing the chance to play in the cup final after missing last year’s decider with injury.
“Everyone is excited for the cup, we’d love to back it up again,” Beagley said.
“Today we were missing Bella Scott and Alex Natoli so we threw Dani (Gudelj) in the backline and I played in front of her and we worked well together.
“Our confidence was up, we had a lot to prove today so it’s fantastic for the girls, the team and Bob [coach Bob McGuiness].”
Heidelberg United 0 defeated by Bulleen Lions 3 (Goad 12′, Beagley 16′, Sernio 84′ pen) at Broadmeadows Valley Park
Heidelberg United: 1. QUINN Kelsey, 2. MIHALOUDIS Demi, 4. VERZI Michelle, 6. PHILIPS Laura, 7. EUDES Marguerite, 9. PANELLA Belinda, 10. NICOLACI Julia, 14. TSALIKIDIS Holly, 15. FONUA Lisa, 18. MURPHY Sadie, 21. FONUA Christine, 22. GAVALAS Ellie, 38. ZWOLSKI Christy, 40. RYAN Hannah, 45. MAMANU-GRAY Elise, 50. GUAJARDO Anisa
FC Bulleen Lions: 1 DIMOVSKI Cass, 2 SERNIO Tessa, 4. TRIMBOLI Bianca, 5. STOCKDALE Maddie, 6. FRIEND Caitlin, 7. BEAGLEY Ashleigh, 8. LAY Cindy, 9. McGILP Charlotte, 10. COPPOCK Em, 12. IACONIS Liana, 14. THEODOSI Alex, 16. GOAD Beattie, 17. NIEUWHOF Nadia, 19. GUDELJ Daniela, 22. DOLZAN Emily, 43. SNELLEKSZ Tori