Nikolina Bucalo on squad jubilation: “In the change room, everyone was screaming”

Box Hill United clinched their first victory of the 2024 season against Alamein FC at Wembley Park, with Nikolina Bucalo at the heart of it.

The atmosphere was electric with a sense of relief, as players were brimming with excitement and some even shedding tears of joy. It was a momentous occasion, marking a turning point in their season, and the emotions were palpable as the team celebrated this hard-earned win.

In a post-match interview, Nikolina Bucalo looked a bit tired from the intense match but couldn’t stop smiling.

“I’m really happy, over the moon,” she said.

“To be honest, at the end of the game, I kind of had some tears. It’s been a long wait to win.”

When asked about the moment she felt they were going to win, Bucalo excitedly replied.

“In the second half, I think when we were dominating possession from the back, we were working our way from one side to the other,” she said.

“When we were getting in dangerous positions, I knew that a goal was coming.”

Reflecting on the past few games, Box Hill United had numerous great attempts at goal and exquisite passes. However, it seemed like they were always missing a bit of luck to secure a win.

“It means a lot to us,” Bucalo said.

“To be honest, I think that when we were talking about it during the week, we saw that we were at the bottom and didn’t have a point.

“We knew that we were performing really well in our games, and we just needed to seal the deal with the win.

“We’re very happy that we finally got the victory. This hard-won victory not only impacts the fans but also deeply affects the players.

“I think this confidence was really exciting for everyone – in the change room, everyone was screaming.

“I think it’s going to be a positive step forward, as we can finally see that we can score goals. We can do all the hard work.”

When talking about her biggest change compare to before, Bucalo thought deeply.

“I think it’s just a mentality. We’ve been training and we’ve been doing drills where we’re trying to score, and we want to bring that out onto the pitch,” she explained.

“We wanted to make sure that we were finishing goals or training so that we could finish goals and games and end up winning.”

This victory marks the first win of the season, and the players are incredibly excited. It’s a moment that fills them with renewed confidence and determination.

As they celebrate this milestone, anticipation for future matches grows even stronger. The team’s spirits are lifted, and they are eager to carry this momentum forward, fuelled by the belief that they can achieve even greater success in the games to come.

With each player contributing their best efforts and the support of their fans behind them, the future holds promise and excitement for Box Hill United.

Written by Ziyi (Antonia) Xu

Image credit: Adrian Shaw / Centre Circle Photography