Gully suffer defeat in season opener against Dandenong Thunder
Green Gully’s 2025 NPL Victoria campaign began with a narrow 2-1 defeat to Dandenong Thunder at George Andrews Reserve in a match that saw the visitors battle hard but ultimately fall short in their pursuit of a comeback.
The game started on a difficult note for Gully as they found themselves trailing after just six minutes. A turnover deep in their own half while attempting to play out from the back gifted possession to Thunder’s Ali Sulemani, who made no mistake in transition, finishing past debutant goalkeeper Lawrence Caruso to put the home side ahead.
Despite the early setback, Gully gradually worked their way into the contest. Their first real opportunity came in the 19th minute when Thunder’s new shot-stopper Jamie Young was forced to rush off his line and head clear a dangerous ball. The clearance fell to Gianluca Iannucci, whose attempted lob lacked the required contact, allowing Young to recover with ease.
The visitors continued to grow into the match and nearly found the equaliser in the 35th minute. Sustained pressure from a corner kick saw the ball land at the feet of new signing and vice-captain Maurice Nugent, who struck a powerful volley on goal. While well-hit, the effort was directed straight at Young, who gratefully held on.
Gully’s persistence was eventually rewarded three minutes before the break. Paul Hodges initiated the attack by finding Aamir Abdallah on the wing, with the new signing linking up well with Karl Imanzi in the box. Abdallah’s initial shot was well-saved by Young, but the rebound fell invitingly for Kasper Hallam, who made no mistake against his former club to level the score at 1-1 heading into half-time.
The visitors carried their momentum into the second half and nearly took the lead shortly after the restart. Abdallah once again proved difficult to contain, weaving past his marker and driving into the box before firing a shot on goal from a tight angle. However, Young was once again equal to the task.
Despite Gully’s strong start to the half, it was Thunder who struck next. In the 68th minute, a precise pass from Daniel Clarke split the Gully defence, allowing Hassan Jalloh to break through and calmly finish to restore the home side’s lead.
Matters worsened for Gully when captain Jacob Eliopoulos was forced off with what appeared to be a significant injury concern, adding further difficulty to their efforts in the final stages of the match.
Pushing hard for a late equaliser, Gully threw everything forward in search of a breakthrough, but Thunder’s defence stood firm. Despite a determined performance, it wasn’t to be for the visitors, who ultimately fell to a 2-1 defeat.
With Round 1 now in the books, Gully will look to regroup quickly as they prepare for their next challenge, eager to bounce back and get their season up and running.
Well done to our Under-23 and Under-19s who both picked up wins in the earlier kick-offs.
The 23s ran riot, winning 6-2, after the U19s had already secured a 5-2 win.
Gully are back home this Friday for a huge clash against Oakleigh Cannons.
