Two stoppage-time headers from Liam Boland ensured Olympic Kingsway preserved their unbeaten home record in the NPLWA – Men’s competition as the 2024 champions came from behind to draw 2-2 with Armadale on the final day of the league season.
The Green Machine did WA proud during the week after a gallant elimination at the hands of A-League side Adelaide United in Tuesday’s Australia Cup Round of 16 tie. But it was Armadale who started the better on Saturday with an excellent first-half performance putting them 2-0 up at the break.
However, the title winners were not to be denied on their day of celebration at Kingsway Reserve with Boland’s late brace rescuing a point prior to the trophy presentation.
Alun Vernals’ side were up for the occasion and could have surpassed last season’s points tally with victory in the northern suburbs. They led on 14 minutes when Amir Ajan’s free-kick was played short to an unmarked Jayden Leader who took a touch and fired a pinpoint finish into the far corner.
The visitors doubled their advantage just past the half-hour mark when Ajan poked through for Pieter Jacobsz, who saw his effort saved by Sebastian Medica only for Emerson Alexis to arrive at the back post to score his first goal of the season.
Medica, in for the injured Adrian Sinagra, made excellent saves in the second half from Josh Willis and then Jacobsz, who ended the season as the NPLM Golden Boot winner with 25 goals for the campaign despite not adding to his tally on Saturday.
Kingsway were awarded a penalty on 63 minutes but Joel Driscoll saved Joe Knowles’ spot-kick from 12 yards, while at the other end substitute Gustavo Marulanda put just wide of the post for the Army.
It seemed as though it would not be the hosts day, only for a late rally to change the mood swiftly prior to the championship party.
Boland headed in Knowles’ cross from the right on 93 minutes with what seemed to be a consolation. Then the Australia Cup’s record goal scorer nodded in Calum O’Connell’s cross barely a minute later to salvage a draw which ultimately meant Olympic finished six points clear at the summit in their first top-flight title success since 1980.
Attention now turns to next weekend’s State Cup final where Olympic will play league runners-up Perth RedStar at the Sam Kerr Football Centre. Callum Salmon’s side tuned up for the fixture with a 2-0 win at relegated Inglewood United.
RedStar were ahead on 22 minutes when Jack Connolly released Sonny O’Shea down the right with the midfielder standing up a cross for Daryl Nicol to head in.
Nicol provided the assist for the sealer in the second half as Connolly arrived in the box to nod home his maiden NPL goal in his first start for the club.
The win means RedStar ended the season five points better off than what they accumulated when winning the title in 2023, while Inglewood’s 31-year stay at the top table ended with the club relegated to State League Division One.
Elsewhere, former Gold Medal winner Ludovic Boi scored a 96th-minute winner as Floreat Athena came from behind three times to beat Fremantle City 4-3.
Freo hit the front early at Hilton Park as Pat Loughrey played a give-and-go from a short corner and received the return before firing in low from the edge of the box.
Floreat levelled on 36 minutes when Sean McManus’ drive deflected into the path of Cherno Bah with Chris Saldaris on hand to poke home.
The hosts led for a second time when Athena were caught playing out from the back with Taj Bingwa intercepting a stray pass and crossing for Loughrey to slot in after 55 minutes.
Vas Vujacic’s team equalised for a second time just two minutes after that with a McManus cross met by Nick Amborgio’s downward header.
George Festa’s second yellow card against his former side gave Matty Sparrow’s side a tough task to take all three points. But they were ahead for a third time in spectacular fashion as Bingwa’s deep cross was met by a sweet volley from Loughrey who completed his hat-trick to take his tally to 11 for the season.
Again, Floreat responded and this time from the penalty spot when Luke Radonich collided into Noah Shamaki. The striker stepped up to score himself from the spot.
There was to be one final twist though when Floreat was awarded a free-kick deep into added time. Up stepped Boi who had the final say with a curler into the bottom corner his first goal of the campaign.
Floreat ended the season three points off the top four, while Fremantle finished third after their first NPL season.
They now meet fourth-placed Stirling Macedonia in an elimination final at Hilton Park, despite Stirling’s 3-0 loss at Western Knights in Round 22.
Stirling had already locked away a finals berth but have now lost back-to-back matches leading into the post-season. They trailed inside the first 10 minutes at Nash Field through Jesse Lazzaro’s goal.
Knights would score twice more in the final 15 minutes to give their fans some cheer, as they recorded an impressive 29 points in their first top flight campaign for 12 years.
Lazzaro was influential in both goals with his corner met by Adam Harris, before the former Cockburn skipper’s inswinging cross from the right curled in without a touch.
Bayswater City twice let the lead slip as Balcatta came away with a last-gasp 2-2 draw from their trip to Frank Drago Reserve.
Baysie announced earlier in the week that head coach Gary Williams would be departing the club at the end of the season. They took the lead on 18 minutes when Luke Palmateer headed in a corner from milestone man Jason Mirco, who was playing his 250th match for the three-time NPL winners.
Balcatta drew level with 18 minutes remaining when Fanuel Dawit smartly volleyed Declan Hargreaves’ corner high into the net at the near post.
Bayswater looked as though they had won it late when Cameron Teece passed forward for the untracked Gordon Smith to calmly lift past Connor Campbell. But they could not hold on for the win as Balcatta struck with their last touch of the 2024 season.
Shogo Osawa’s cross from the left picked out Hasani Sinclair who headed in moments before the referee blew the full-time whistle. The points were shared as Bayswater ended the year in fifth while Balcatta secured their safety weeks ago and finished ninth.
Finally, Perth SC and Perth Glory drew 1-1 at E&D Litis Stadium in a match of little consequence between 10th and 11th in the league.
The Azzurri were already safe coming into the game and made a perfect start as Abdul Osman’s peach of a free-kick flew into the top corner after 90 seconds.
Glory was awarded a spot-kick midway through the first half when Rocco Liberti slid in and fouled Sebastian Despotovski on the six-yard line. But the goalkeeper made up for his mistake by diving low to his right and saving the playmaker’s penalty to preserve Perth’s lead.
Despotovski would get his goal early in the second period though, as his initial shot from Khoa Ngo’s poked pass was blocked before he followed up to finish the rebound.
That was how it stayed with Glory now facing Mandurah City over two legs in the inter-divisional play-offs which begin in a fortnight’s time. Dianella White Eagles and Murdoch University Melville meet in the other semi.
CHAMPIONS: Olympic Kingsway
TOP FOUR CUP: Olympic Kingsway, Perth RedStar, Fremantle City, Stirling Macedonia
RELEGATED: Inglewood United
INTER-DIVISIONAL PLAY-OFFS: Perth Glory
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TOP FOUR CUP
Semi-finals (14 September)
Match 1: Olympic Kingsway v Perth RedStar
Match 2: Fremantle City v Stirling Macedonia
Preliminary final (17 September)
Match 3: Loser of Match 1 v Winner of Match 2
Final (21 September, Sam Kerr Football Centre)
Winner of Match 1 v Winner of Match 3
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INTER-DIVISIONAL PLAY-OFFS
Semi-finals (two legs) (14/21 September)
Semi-final 1: Mandurah City v Perth Glory
Semi-final 2: MUM FC v Dianella White Eagles
Final (28 September, Sam Kerr Football Centre)
Winner of Semi-final 1 v Winner of Semi-final 2
- Match officials wore black armbands on Saturday following the passing of Football West referee Liviu Katona, 40, after a long illness. Football West would like to join the WA football community in expressing our condolences to the family and friends of Liviu who was well respected among the wider football community and his fellow referees.