Following an exhilarating final match day of Round 5 of the 2024 Nike FC Cup wrapped up on Wednesday night, we look ahead to the Quarter-Final draw set to take place next week!
The final eight teams in competition in comprised of four Clubs from the NPLW and four from the VPLW, take a look at how each side has reached the Quarter-Finals below:
FV Emerging
The Santi Escudero-led Emerging entered the competition in the fourth round against an impressive VPLW outfit in Banyule City.
Eva Kokotis opened the scoring goal for the away side in the ninth minute, before former FC Bulleen Lions defender Katie Beck hit back for the Bulls inside the first 15 minutes.
Emerging's Poppy O'Keeffe scored a brace ahead of half-time, although Banyule's Daniela Gudelj found the back of the net in the 44th minute to send both teams into half-time 2-1.
Dangerous striker, Carina Rossi left her stamp on the match in the 76th minute, but once again the Bulls hit back through Daniela Gudelj eight minutes later.
Despite being challenged multiple times throughout the match, FV Emerging showed their class, ending the game 6-3 winners following two late goals Clancy Westaway.
On April 23, FV Emerging faced arguably tougher competition in fellow NPLW Club, Heidelberg United at The Home of the Matildas.
Clancy Westaway and Eva Kokotis scored their second goals of the competition, while Lara Aitken also managed to get her name on the scoresheet in the 3-1 win.
Heidelberg forward Keely Lockhart was able to find the back of the net to make it four goals conceded from two games for the young side heading into the Quarter-Finals.
Spring Hills FC
Spring Hills FC could not have dreamt of a better start to the 2024 Nike FC Cup, defeating State League 2 South-East outfit Ashburton United 9-0.
Victorian football royalty Aleks Sinclair opened the scoring in the fourth minute, before Yukina Tamamura (22nd minute), Kate Spiteri (22nd minute) and Dayna Stevens (24th minute) also found the back of the net. The score was 5-0 at half-time - following an own goal in the 40th minute to Ashburton.
In the second half, a further four goals were scored (Erii Yamashita 67th minute, Chaziel Day 61st minute), making it an impressive six individual goal-scorers.
In Round 5, Spring Hills FC came up against State League 2 South-East's Manningham United Blues and comprehensively defeated their lower-ranked opponent 12-0.
The Spring Hill forward was having a day out with Dayna Stevens (four goals), Saki Nagai (four goals) and Aleks Sinclair (2 goals) all scoring multiple goals on the day.
Over the two matches, the VPLW team has scored a competition-high goal difference of 21, which will be hard to beat as the competition wears on.
Preston Lions FC
It says much for the development of the Women’s program at BT Connor Reserve, that the club which was annihilated 19-0 by Bulleen Lions in 2015 has risen to Premier League status in half-a-dozen seasons.
Quarter-final appearances in 2019 (5-0 loss to Melbourne University) and last season (a narrow defeat to league Champions South Melbourne) are symbolic of the gradual investment made by the Club.
This year, Preston opened their Nike FC Cup account with a dominant 12-1 victory against State League 2 North-West side Sydenham Park SC.
Attacking duo Hayley Johnson (five goals) and Ellie La Monte (three goals) were unstoppable in the clash at B.T. Connor Reserve, while Ellie Vlaeminck and Chanel Nikolovski also found the back of the net twice.
The only blemish on Head Coach Dan Foden's record was Sydenham Park's Aguak Chok scoring in the 79th minute.
Preston hosted Bentleigh Greens in Round 5 at B.T. Connor Reserve and was tested, although ultimately prevailed 2-1.
Ellie La Monte was the difference in the contest, scoring a brace - bringing her total for the Cup to five.
Brunswick Juventus FC
In Brunswick's opening match of the Cup, they took on VPL side Noble Hurricanes at Alex Nelson Reserve.
Josip Lancaric's team displayed a dominant display, putting 14 goals past the lower-ranked opponent.
Holly Boldiston and Karina Tolios scored hat-tricks, while Emma Perrone also registered two majors.
Brunswick booked their ticket to the Quarter-Finals with a 3-2 victory over 2023 Steph Catley Cup Grand Finalists, Casey Comets.
Nicole Cooper scored a hat-trick for the victors, while Addison Steiner bagged a brace for the VPL outfit.
FC Bulleen Lions
Bulleen was not dealt a friendly draw to open their Nike FC Cup campaign, facing fellow NPLW outfit, Alamein.
The Lions managed to scrape through to Round 5 in a close 2-1 victory with Lia Muldeary and Maja Markovski getting their names on the scoresheet.
In Round 5, the Lions faced off with Boroondara Eagles in a Veneto Club derby.
The defending NPLW Premiers easily accounted for the Eagles, claiming a 5-0 victory.
Nia Salleh and Lourdes Gonzalez scored braces in the win, while Maja Markovski added another goal to her Nike FC Cup tally.
Coached by the evergreen Bobby McGuiness, Bulleen Lions won the Cup in 2014, thanks to second-half goals from Tessa Sernio and Emily Coppock, putting paid to South Melbourne’s hopes of achieving the treble.
Further success has eluded the Veneto Club stalwarts, with a hat-trick of losses to Boroondara Eagles (2015), Heidelberg United (2016) and Calder United (2017), followed by another loss to Calder United 2-0 in the 2023 final. Can they final emulate the feats of a decade earlier, or will they be consigned to bridesmaids once again?
Bundoora United FC
Coached by an upcoming talent in Mark Torcaso, Bundoora United reached the final of the Cup in 2012, losing to Box Hill United who scored two second-half goals to seal a 2-0 win. Bundoora featured a cavalcade of stars including Enza Barilla, Gulcan Koca and Rachel Alonso to name a few. They were also semi-finalists under Torcaso again in 2015, losing 2-1 to eventual winners Boroondara Eagles.
The VPLW side faced off against State League 1 South-East outfit Bayside Argonauts in Round 4 and managed to come away with a 4-0 victory at Epping Stadium.
Maya Popplewell (two goals), Louisa Verratti, and Julia Mamone (one goal) all got their name on the scoresheet for the home side.
In Round 5, Bundoora easily accounted for FC Clifton Hill 5-0 at Darebin Internation Sports Centre.
Louisa Verratti and Diana Fresneda scored braces and Hallee Meslti also found the back of the net.
Keilor Park SC
One of the modern trailblazers at the turn of the century, Keilor Park won the first Cup competition played after the VWSA/VSF amalgamation, beating Westvale to claim honours in 1999.
They repeated the feat in 2004, thrashing Ashburton 8-2 in a final that proved to be the last in a Cup competition before the format returned in 2012.
Their best efforts since then were quarter-final appearances in 2017, where they suffered a heavy 6-1 defeat to Bulleen Lions, and in 2018, with Calder United easing past them 5-1.
Keilor Park defeated State League 1 South-East side Doveton 8-1 in their first match of this year's tournament.
Sawa Matsuda was the home team's best with a hat-trick, while Claudia Dimasi, Suzu Murakami, and Catherine Ioannidis also got on the scoresheet.
In the next round, Keilor Park took on State-League 1 North-West Club, Mill Park at home.
Suzu Murakami couldn't be stopped, scoring four goals as her side recorded a 9-1 victory.
In Round 5, Keilor Park delivered the biggest cupset of the tournament so far, defeating reigning Champions Calder United SC in a penalty shoot-out.
Suzu Murakami scored two long-range goals in the win, bringing her cup tally to seven.
Ringwood City FC
Champions of the Premier League in 2000, Ringwood City were languishing at the bottom of the Women’s State League in the mid 2010’s before beginning their rise through the ranks on the cusp of the COVID-interrupted seasons.
They are now firmly entrenched in the Victorian Women’s Premier League and this is the first time the club has made the final eight of the modern-day Nike FC Cup.
Their first match of the tournament was in Round 3, defeating State League 1 North-West side Avondale 2-0.
Amanda Stevenson and Melanie Martinez scored in the home side's victory.
In Round 4, Ringwood defeated fellow VPLW side Eltham Redbacks 2-1 in extra time.
Natasha Lusi scored Ringwood's regular-time goal, while Daphne Papamichael scored the winning goal in the 129th minute.
Another VPLW awaited Ringwood in Round 5, although this time they were able to walk away victors within 90 minutes.
The home side recorded a 4-1 victory with Natasha Lusi starring with a hat-trick.