Amidst a mildly overcast Sunday afternoon, Victoria’s Lion outfits locked horns in the Nike FC Cup Final of 2024. FC Bulleen Lions entered the Final as four-time runners-up since their first Nike Cup trophy in 2014, while Preston arrived with a newfound sense of belief, having risen quickly within NPLW.
Preston donned traditional red and black striped home jerseys, with Bulleen in their white and burgundy away kit.
The match kicked off with high intensity, and Preston seized an early opportunity when two of their players were brought down in the box. Referee Courtney Van Diesen awarded a penalty, which Susan Phongsongkham converted, sending the ball into the bottom left corner.
Bulleen hit back in the 38th minute when Maja Markovski broke away from her marker, creating chaos in the box. After an initial save from the Preston goalkeeper, the ball fell kindly to Markovski, who set up Alana Cortellino for a composed finish, leveling the score at 1-1.
Tiffany Eliadis earned a free-kick 25 meters out from goal on a slight left angle with five minutes remaining in the half. Markovski’s effort on goal dipped over the wall onto the crossbar – creating chaos inside the box, leading to Rosie Rodger smashing the loose ball right on the goal line to make the scoreline 2-1.
On the cusp of half-time, the dangerous Markovski launched a shot on goal that appeared to brush the arm of Preston defender Jade Feakes, however, no penalty was awarded, and Preston only went into the break one goal behind.
As the second half began, tension grew with both teams vying for control. Preston pushed hard for an equaliser, creating several close chances with Phongsongkham and Tanaka getting busy in the engine room.
In the 64th minute, Preston fans came to life with what looked to be a certain goal, although, upon further inspection, Hayley Johnson was in front of the last defender before providing the final touch on goal.
12 minutes later, substitute Lourdes Gonzalez made an immediate impact, giving them a two-goal buffer through a brilliant finish in the bottom left corner.
With the result looking beyond doubt, Preston Captain Georgia Henderson refused to give up, scoring mere seconds after regaining possession - breathing some life into the contest.
The match completely opened up in the last 10 minutes with efforts at both ends and each respective keeper denying efforts on goal.
In added time, Preston's fans clamoured for a penalty when Ellie Lamonte was brought down in the box, but the referee waved play on. As the final whistle blew, Bulleen celebrated breaking their finals curse, clinching their second Nike FC Cup.
Player of the Match: Tiffany Eliadis
Final Score: Preston Lions 2 – 3 FC Bulleen Lions