Box Hill United Pelada Cup Champions

Box Hill United 2-0 Bundoora United

Box Hill United have been crowned the inaugural Pelada Cup Champions after defeating Bundoora United 2-0 thanks to second half goals from Katrina Smith and Georgia Koutrouvelis. Box Hill’s Louisa Bisby was awarded the Theresa Deas Medal for player of the match after a barnstorming display in midfield.

Having been the dominant team throughout the Victorian football season, today was no different with Box Hill controlling the match from the outset with only some late pressure from Bundoora in the final ten minutes being the exception.

The game started with a bang as within thirty seconds Box Hill were awarded an indirect spot-kick in the box after a back-pass from Bundoora. They were not made to pay however as Bisby sent the resulting lay-off well over the bar.

That was to be the trend for the rest of the second half as Box Hill proceeded to continually pepper Bundoora’s goal from long range with Bisby in particular a large contributor.

It seemed that Bundoora’s custodian Alexandra Bogdanovski needn’t worry as most shots flew off target, but she did leave hearts in mouths in the 35th minute as she spilled a Bisby shot, though with no Box Hill players chasing Bundoora were able to clear their lines.

As half time approached, Box Hill co-captain Jessica Humble thought she had given her side the lead it deserved after heading in a Bisby cross-cum-shot after it was tipped away by Bogdanovski. Celebrations were quickly subdued however as the goal was ruled out by the assistant’s flag in what was a questionable decision and the undoubted talking-point at half time.

The second term was more of the same with Bundoora offering little in terms of resistance and when Smith opened the scoring for the Blue and Blacks, the match appeared to be over. 

Following one of many dangerous corners by Bisby, Smith was the first player to the ball and sent it into the back of the net, cuing celebrations from the Box Hill bench and dropped heads from Bundoora.

The belief looked to have disappeared from Bundoora’s team and when more Box Hill dominance and some Georgia Koutrouvelis magic resulted in a curling shot into the top right hand corner of the goal, the result was sealed.

To Bundoora’s credit they lifted a number of gears in the final ten minutes to finish the match strongly, but Box Hill were already in cruise mode and they closed off the game comfortably.

Box Hill goalkeeper Cassandra Dimovski conceded that while Bundoora had the best of the final ten minutes, Box Hill were the better side overall and that she couldn’t be prouder of her team as they claimed the first ever Pelada Cup.

“Bundoora are a great side but today we played more as a team and we played to our strengths,” said an ecstatic Dimovski.

“They pushed us at the end but we kept it solid and did what we had to do to get the win.”

With a great defensive record all season, today was no exception, but Dimovski refused to claim the credit.

“I’ve been lucky throughout the whole season to have a quality defence in front of me who haven’t given me much to do.

“Having defenders like that is a big boost to my confident and when there is a save to make I do it pretty well.”

Box Hill dominated almost the entire match and Bundoora United Head Coach Mark Torcaso had no doubt as to the reason why.

“Box Hill were quite powerful and very strong today; we expected them to be quite physical and that gave them the edge over us,” said Torcaso.

Giving an insight into their mentality going into the match, it appeared that Bundoora were never expecting to win but will look to bounce back going into the finals.

“I just wanted our girls to enjoy the experience more than anything else so if we got the win it would have been alright but we still competed as best as possible.

“We’re looking at our league match against Cairnlea now to finish in second spot so we can have another crack at Box Hill in the finals.”

Match Details

The Pelada Cup is played under the rules of unlimited interchange.

BOX HILL UNITED: 1. DIMOVSKI Cassandra, 3. MUSCAT Yvette, 5. HUMBLE Jessica, 8. DADE Padiki, 10. VINCENT Grace, 11. LAWLESS Amanda, 12. GRKINJIC Tina, 13. HULBERT Emily, 14. KOUTROUVELIS Georgia, 16. BISBY Louisa, 23. HECKENBERG Emma

INTERCHANGE: 2. McCLUSKEY Krystal, 4. RICHARDSON Madeline, 6. EFE Ebru, 7. SMITH Katrina, 15. DIGIAMMARCO Daniela, 17. FOOTTIT Ruby, 24. VATCKY Elaina

GOALS: 7. SMITH Katrina (51), 14. KOUTROUVELIS Georgia (79)

YELLOW CARDS: 10. VINCENT Grace (36), 7. SMITH Katrina (84)

BUNDOORA UNITED: 4. MISSAZIDIS Melissa, 3. GALEA Stephanie, 5. EVANS Tayla, 7. BARILLA Enza, 9. VLASNIC Tyla-Jay, 10. KOCA Gulcan, 13. FRUSCALZO Claudia, 14. ALONSO Rachel, 19. WHITE Kariah, 21. RICHARDSON Sarah, 31. BOGDANOVSKI Alexandra

INTERCHANGE: 2. WYLIE-OBRIEN Catherine, 12. FORD Matilda, 15. SARDO Julia, 17. ODDO Stephanie, 22. BOGGAS Kelly, 24. MANIKA Bushra, 33. DOUGLAS Zaira

GOALS: nil

YELLOW CARDS: nil