In the opening fixture of the 2024 NPLW Victoria season, reigning champions South Melbourne demonstrated their strength with a commanding performance against Bentleigh at the iconic Lakeside Stadium.
Despite missing several key senior players, including captain Danielle Micallef, South Melbourne came out of the gates with a determined attacking mindset. The synergy between Tayla Christensen and Francesca Iermano bore fruit early on as they combined to break the deadlock. Christensen’s exquisite through ball found Iermano in a prime position, and the latter calmly slotted the ball past the Bentleigh keeper to give South Melbourne an early lead.
Building on their momentum, South Melbourne continued to assert their dominance throughout the first half. Christensen, displaying her scoring ability, extended South’s advantage with a sensational long-range effort, leaving Bentleigh trailing by two goals as the teams headed into halftime.
After the break, South Melbourne picked up right where they left off, maintaining their attacking intensity. Christensen, once again showcasing her talent, notched her second goal of the game with a powerful strike that nestled into the roof of the net, further widening the gap between the two sides.
The hosts didn’t stop there. Grace Taranto embarked on a mesmerizing run, carving through Bentleigh’s defense before supplying the ball to Bella Sewards, who marked her club debut with a goal, much to the delight of the South Melbourne faithful.
Despite Bentleigh managing to pull one back late in the game, it was merely a consolation as South Melbourne comfortably secured their first victory of the season at Lakeside Stadium. With such a convincing display, South Melbourne has set a high standard for themselves as they look to defend their NPLW Victoria title in the 2024 season.