Heidelberg United is the 2025 NPLM Victoria champion after overcoming a gallant Dandenong City 2-1 in the Senol NPLM Victoria Grand Final at Lakeside Stadium on Sunday night.
It is the sixth time the Bergers have won a Victorian top flight trophy, and is their first since 2018.
Bul Juach and Max Bisetto were the heroes for Heidelberg, striking daggers into Dandy City hearts either side of half-time.
And while Tim Atherinos gave the underdogs hope with a well taken strike in the 56th minute, ultimately it was not to be in what was Dandenong’s debut first division final.
This piece of silverware is the first in what could be a golden end to 2025 for Heidelberg, which will face A-League side Newcastle Jets in the Australia Cup final in October before it heads into the inaugural Australian Championship later that month.
It also marks the first time since 2017 that John Anastasiadis has claimed top Victorian honours. The 2025 Senol NPLM Grand Final was the Victorian master coach’s fourth top flight grand final win, after previously claiming one championship with South Melbourne and two with Bentleigh.
“It’s surreal,” Heidelberg captain Ben Collins said post-match.
“We fell short a couple (of times) during the season. We didn’t want to end the season empty-handed.
“To bring home arguably the biggest one we could have, I’m just happy for everyone because we deserved it. We’ve worked so hard.”
Bisetto also won the Jimmy Rooney Medal after he was adjudged best afield.
Juach opened the scoring in the 42nd minute, coolly converting from the spot after winning the penalty himself a short time prior.
It was Collins who played a pinpoint long ball from just inside his own half. And although it played Juach through on goal, Dandy goalkeeper Pierce Clark would want his time over again after taking Juach down in a non-threatening position inside the box.
Try as he might to make amends for his mistake, Clark’s outstretched right hand just missed Juach’s confident finish. It was the striker’s fifth goal against Dandenong City in 2025.
Bisetto made it 2-0 in the 53rd minute with a stunning low strike.
He received the ball on the left flank and was given way too much space to cut inside on his right foot.
He sauntered into the top of the penalty box and then curled his low shot into the bottom right corner of the goal, giving Clark no chance.
Just when it seemed as if the game could be over as a contest, Atherinos breathed life into the game with his first-time shot from the top of the box.
Will Bower found space on the left flank and cut the ball back to an open Atherinos, who timed his run to perfection and gave himself all the space in the world to find the back of the net.
But that would be all the scoring action the game would see, despite both sides producing several more chances.
“We knew today was going to be a battle,” Anastasiadis said.
“It wasn’t pretty at times, but that’s finals football. That’s a grand final for you.
“Credit to Dandneong, they took it to us. But I thought my boys - it’s been 10 months we’ve been going on - they deserved it. They got their just reward today."
A Victorian Grand Final record of 8,847 fans were on hand as the match kicked of in pristine conditions in South Melbourne.
A tepid opening burst to life in the eight minute as a Collins shot from close range was blocked on the line by Jamie Latham.
Barely a minute later Bower had Dandenong’s first shot in anger, a speculator from 30m that was on target but comfortably saved by Yaren Sozer.
Pre-match favourites Heidelberg started to turn the screws midway through the first half.
Juach had Clark beaten in the 27th minute when he shot just wide, before only a heavy touch from Jamal Ali when through on goal allowed opposition captain Jack Webster to clear the ball off his boot four minutes later.
Sozer was the hero for Heidelberg not once but three times in the 36th minute.
He first denied Atherinos with his right foot after the Dandy attacker got in behind with a clever solo run, before making a stunning double save from the resultant corner - the second of which was to deny Gaku Inaba’s bicycle kick from the top of the six yard box.
Both teams had three shots in the first half, but it was Juach’s that counted most.
And his penalty just before half time was arguably what Heidelberg deserved after holding sway for much of the opening stanza.
“There was no pressure,” Juach said as he came off the pitch at half-time.
“I practice that at training, so there was no pressure at all.”
Dandenong coach Nick Tolios made the first two substitutions of the game in the 71st minute, taking out two defensive midfielders - Danny Kim and Tom Giannakopoulos - for more attacking-minded players in Brad Plant and Diego Cuba.
It changed the momentum of the game as Plant almost made an instant impact, firing straight at Sozer from long-range barely a minute after entering the fray.
Atherinos then turned provider for Kenny Athiu three minutes later, but the former Heidelberg legend could only fire wide with his half chance.
While a speculative free kick from wide by Latham in the 76th minute was on target, but Sozer was up to the task yet again, forcing the ball away for a corner.
“To my boys, it was an amazing season,” Tolios said post-game.
“Keep your head up. Nobody gave us a chance, but we pushed Heidelberg all the way.”