Avondale starting XI: Manos, Wellsmore, Brice, Kamara, Edwards, Cuba, Tevere, Towns, Zinni, Aguek, Valentini
Goals: Tevere 37’
Markovski’s record now stands at 99 wins, 27 draws and a remarkable 373 goals scored under his leadership. The Avengers were determined to secure his 100th win and took to the field full of motivation.
Adding to the excitement, Avondale proudly unveiled the Australian Championship Trophy at Avenger Park, giving players, members and families a chance to see it up close and take photos. It was a fantastic moment that captured the spirit of the club, and anticipation is building among supporters for the Australian Championship to kick off.
In the opening 15 minutes, the Avengers dominated possession and controlled the tempo of the game. In the 19th minute, striker Manny Aguek had a great chance to score from inside the Dandenong Thunder penalty area but dragged his shot wide.
In the 37th minute, midfielder Yitay Towns won the ball with a crunching but fair tackle just outside the Dandenong Thunder box. Driving into the penalty area, Towns cut the ball across to teammate Luca Tevere, who finished confidently to give Avondale a well-deserved 1-0 lead.
Just two minutes later, left-back Dan Edwards surged forward down the wing and played a beautifully weighted pass in behind the Thunder defence. Tevere raced onto the ball and curled a shot past the Thunder goalkeeper, only to see it crash against the crossbar.
At the 42-minute mark, Avondale’s midfield pressure forced Dandenong Thunder into a turnover, sparking another attack. Midfielder Cian Cuba drove at the Thunder defence and slipped a precise pass through to Manny Aguek, who found himself inside the box but narrowly missed the far post with his shot, almost doubling the Avengers’ lead.
The second half began with Dandenong Thunder increasing their intensity and turning the contest into an even battle.
In the 64th minute, Avondale lost possession while trying to play out from the back, and within a few passes, Dandenong Thunder moved the ball into the Avondale penalty area and capitalised on the chance, equalising at 1–1.
The final 25 minutes saw both teams pushing forward in search of a winner, but neither side could carve out a clear opportunity, and the match ended in a draw.
The result keeps Avondale in second place on the NPL Victoria table, just three points behind league leaders Heidelberg, with six games remaining in the season.
The Avengers now shift their focus to their away fixture against Hume City FC on Friday night.
Forza Avondale!
