SUPER sub Gazmend Ajdini salvaged a point with a late goal for Werribee City in a 1-1 draw with Moreland Zebras in the Football Federation Victoria men’s state league 1 at Galvin Park on Sunday.
The Bees equaliser came eight minutes from time when substitute Ajdini latched onto a cross from his captain Milan Savic to head the ball into the back of the net.
Bees sporting director Giorgio Pastorini told the Weekly it was a game that was controlled by each of the teams for a half and a draw was a fitting result at the end of 90 minutes.
“The result in the end was fair,” he said.
The Zebras made all of the play in the first half and put the Bees defence under the pump.
The visitors would breakthrough in the 32nd minute with a goal to Simon Tolli.
The Bees came out after half-time with new purpose and had the Zebras on the back foot.
Most of the Bees forward thrusts featured Leigh Minopoulos in some way, shape or form.
Minopoulos, who has six goals to his name from attacking midfield, played closer to goal due to the departure of striker Zois Galanopoulos.
“As usual, he [Minopoulos] was really good,’’ Pastorini said.
“He’s very quick, he has got good skills and has an eye for the goal.”
The Bees would get parity through the Ajdini goal, but it could have been even better for the hosts with some better luck.
They had the ball cleared off their goal line on more than one occasion in the dying minutes.
“We had only one or two occasions in the fist half, but in the second half we came out with a different mentality, we started to attack and the defence of the Zebras was really good to contain us,” Pastorini said.
“We equalised and then we had three or four occasions that were saved on the line.”
The Bees, a young side building under coach Nino Ragusa, sit ninth with nine points in seven rounds.
They will make the short trip to Paisley Park on Sunday for an all-west affair against Altona Magic.
Meanwhile, clubs will have until the close of business on Friday to submit applications for the newly formed National Premier League Victoria.
Werribee City is believed to be one of the clubs seriously considering applying to be part of the new elite league.
In other matches, Hoppers Crossing brought up its first win of the men’s state league 4 season, poleaxing Essendon Royals 3-0 at Grange Reserve. Alphonso Opazo celebrated his first win since taking over as senior coach of the Reds.
In men’s state league 5, Point Cook yielded a 2-0 win on the road over Brimbank Stallions after goals to Paul Rossall and Marc Yates, while Truganina dropped all three points at home in a 2-0 loss to new boys Spring Hills FC.
