Avondale FC starting XI: Manos, Wellsmore, D’Argenio, Brice (captain), Courtney-Perkins, Towns, Tevere, Trajcevski, Ahmed, Zinni, Kur
Goals: Tevere 55’
With that result, the Avengers have now progressed to the Round of 16, awaiting confirmation of their next opponent following the conclusion of Wednesday’s remaining fixtures.
They carried that momentum into the league fixture against Altona, starting brightly and dominating possession against a side that had clearly set up to frustrate, with deep defensive structures and most players positioned behind the ball.
The first real chance of the match came 12 minutes in, when Avenger right back Jackson Courtney-Perkins found midfielder Kristian Trajcevski inside the Altona penalty area. Trajcevski spun sharply and fired a shot that forced the Altona goalkeeper into a strong save.
Despite dominating the ball, the Avondale struggled to break through Altona’s disciplined back five, who were doing well to contain wave after wave of attacking pressure, helping their side get to the break at 0-0.
Just three minutes into the second half, the Avengers were awarded a free kick just outside the Altona penalty area. Luca Tevere stepped up and sent a powerful, curling shot towards the top right corner, only for the Altona goalkeeper to produce a spectacular save.
In the 55th minute, the breakthrough finally came. A curling corner from Tevere sailed straight into the back of the net for a stunning goal.
Just a minute later, the Avengers surged forward again. Winger Kur Kur cut inside past his defender and curled a shot from just outside the box, narrowly missing the target. The match would finish 1-0.
It was a hard-fought but crucial three points on the road for the Avengers, setting up a top-of-the-table showdown against Heidelberg United, who dropped points in their 1-1 draw with South Melbourne, next Saturday at Avenger Park. With only three matches remaining in the 2025 season, Avondale trail Heidelberg by three points with a superior goal difference.
