City’s Ante gets upped- Dandenong City’s newest recruit Ante Milicic was the game-saving hero

By Gavin Staindl
EX-SOCCEROO Ante Milicic has already made an impact at his new Dandenong City club, scoring the equaliser to salvage a 1-1 draw against Heatherton United.
Heatherton controlled most of the play against their state league division two rivals and had many opportunities to score but it was Milicic who made the most of the chances.
With five minutes remaining, Milicic pounced on a mistake by backman Edo Becirevic, who had been unbeatable all day, and after a few silky sidesteps jammed the ball into the back right corner for the equaliser. Heatherton United coach Miro Kupinic said post-match he was “absolutely gutted”.
“We dominated the game and controlled the flanks but it was just unfortunate we didn’t win it… because we had plenty of chances,” Kupinic said.
Dandenong chose to run with a 3-5-2 style of play that Kupinic expertly anticipated and had already planned for.
“I told the guys at training if they come out with a 3-5-2 we’ll expose the space behind the wings,” said Kupinic.
And expose the wings they did.
Through balls and lofted balls into the penalty area gave the Heatherton forwards plenty to work with but were let down by their finishing touches.
0-0 at half-time, Kupinic decided to go into a more attacking style of play and after Meldin Klehic slipped one through to Gladwyn Roberts who scored the first goal of the season, Heatherton seemingly had the three points in sight.
But the former A-league representative and the assistant coach of future A-league club Melbourne Heart had other ideas and stroked it past a groggy Yehya Dimassi into the net.
Ten minutes earlier goalkeeper Dimassi sustained a knee to the diaphragm that left him coughing up blood and resting in hospital overnight.
The keeper bravely played on but admitted to not knowing where he was.
In the other division two match the Southern Stars have backed-up president Tony Kiranci’s bold pre-season predictions that they would finish first with no “ifs or buts about it” by beating the Southern Suburbs 3-1 at Keeley Park.
Craig Platt and Conner McDonald were the goal scorers as the Stars ran away with the match in the opening half.
The three first half goals now has the Stars perfectly positioned in first place. So far, so good, Tony. In division three action, South Springvale has beaten newly promoted Mornington 3-1 at Warner Reserve.
Ilias Diniotis and Dion Pavlic (two goals) were both influential for Aris as the home side continue to welcome back past players and supporters to the club after a mass-exodus a few years ago.
Across town, Springvale City has been hammered by Kingston City 0-4 at Ross Reserve while at Fairfield Park Fitzroy scored a late goal to beat Noble Park 3-2.
Chris Durand and Nebojsa Vukosavljevic were the two goal scorers for Noble Park.