Having reached the halfway point of the group stages of the inaugural Australian Championship, the clubs from NPL Victoria are leading the way not only in the group standings but also in Round 3's Team of the Week.
The third team of the week has arrived, and once again, there is a heavy presence of Heidelberg United and South Melbourne players, with two representatives each. The Victorian sides have featured the most over the opening three matchdays, with five players selected from each team.
Elsewhere, Sydney Olympic have had multiple players selected after they secured their first win away from home against Moreton City Excelsior. Plus, MetroStars and Preston Lions make their first appearance in the team of the week, both gaining vital points in Round Three.
Here is the Australian Championship Team of the Week for Round 3.
Australian Championship Team of the Week for Round 3
Goalkeeper: Jack Gibson (Sydney Olympic)
Gibson stood large in the Olympic net, making vital saves in his side's first win of the Australian Championship. The 22-year-old made multiple highlight-worthy saves in a close 2-1 victory away at Moreton City Excelsior. “Jack Gibson edged out NWS Spirit's Chris Marques - it was very difficult to split those two, who both put in match-winning displays for their teams," Australian Championship Commentator Alex Molchanoff said.
Defender: Aiden Mostofi (NWS Spirit)
The attacking-minded full-back was ever-present in Spirit's crucial 2-1 win over Canberra Croatia that saw the NPL NSW Premiers climb up into second in Group C. Just after the hour mark, Mostofi assisted the eventual winning goal with a left-footed cross that found Aedon Kyra for the winner.
Defender: Luke Palmateer (Bayswater City)
Bayswater's historic victory over Wests APIA would not have been possible if it weren’t for the defensive efforts of Palmateer, who helped keep his side's second clean sheet. It marks the third week in a row that a Bayswater centre-back has featured in the Team of the Week squad, with the lone representative from the Wildflower State now leading Group D.
Defender: Matthew Bozinovski (Preston Lions)
“Bozinovski was close to the player of the match”, Molchanoff told us after Preston kept out the best attack from NPL Victoria - Avondale - in a scoreless affair to start Round 3. The draw was Preston's first clean sheet of the tournament and a good turnaround after they conceded three goals in Round 2.
Defender: Fletcher Fulton (Heidelberg United)
The third week in a row that a Heidelberg full-back has featured in the Team of the Week. Involved in the build-up for the Bergers' first three goals, the Tasmanian defender was already having a standout game before he got his name on the score sheet just before the stroke of half-time. Fulton tapped in Heidelberg’s sixth in a stellar half of football for the Group B leaders.
Midfielder: Chris Donnell (Sydney Olympic)
Olympic’s new Australian youth international signing was key in helping his new side secure their first points in Group A. With only six minutes left in the tight affair against Moreton City Excelsior at Perry Park, Donnell picked up the loose ball, drove into the open space before laying it off to Michael Vakis, who scored the winning goal.
Midfielder: Sebastian Pasquali (South Melbourne)
Pasquali makes his second appearance in the Australian Championship Team of the Week after South Melbourne won their third game in a row to get one foot in the door of the quarter-finals. Their first away test of the tournament was a tight contest against Broadmeadow Magic, which required South's number 24 to be strong in the middle of the park.
Midfielder: Yuki Uchida (South Melbourne)
Uchida was the difference in South’s 1-0 win at Magic Park on Sunday afternoon. The Japanese's quick reflexes fired home the game's only goal six minutes before half-time. It’s his second goal in three games for his new side, who now need just one win from their final three games to secure their spot in the quarter-finals.
Forward: Marko Jesic (Marconi Stallions)
The Marconi Captain was critical in the Stallions' attack, picking up an assist in his side's 3-0 win over in-state rivals Wollongong Wolves. After suffering a loss in their opening game, Marconi have turned it around with two wins from two and scoring seven goals from five different scorers.
Forward: Bul Juach (Heidelberg United)
“Juach continues to fire,” Molchanoff told us as Heidelberg ran riot in their third group game, coming away 6-1 winners over South Hobart. Juach bagged a brace in the side's emphatic win, as the striker opened his account in the Australian Championship.
Forward: Christian Sotira (MetroStars)
MetroStars not only scored their first goal but also picked up their first win of the tournament, coming away 2-1 winners Saturday afternoon, with Sotira right in the middle of the action. The forward who edged out Sydney Olympics Ali Auglah in this week's team of the week, combined beautifully with Thomas Visser, assisting Metro’s second goal that helped ensure they returned to South Australia with all three points.