Second meets first in PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria action this Sunday as South Melbourne FC hosts the Bentleigh Greens at Lakeside Stadium.
John Anastasiadis’ Bentleigh side come into Sunday’s game one point ahead of South on the NPL Victoria ladder. They are the form team of the competition, having won their last eight straight League games and having destroyed the previously second-placed Heidelberg United 4-0 at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex last Friday night.
Chris Taylor’s South Melbourne side took advantage of Heidelberg’s loss to jump into second spot on the NPL Victoria ladder by defeating Werribee City 1-0 at Lakeside Stadium last Sunday evening. Nick Epifano’s goal was the difference between the two sides and South is now just one point behind Bentleigh on the ladder.
The danger men for Bentleigh are Ryan De Vries, Chris Lucas and 2014 SMFC Championship player Tyson Holmes. All three were instrumental in the 4-0 win over the Bergers last Friday night and will be key players for South’s defence to shut down.
South will be missing Epifano on Sunday as the midfielder is currently trialing in Europe. Epifano’s absence may provide Leigh Minopoulos with the opportunity to play over the next couple of weeks and try to cement his place in the starting eleven.
South Melbourne has met the Bentleigh Greens 13 times in League competition. South has won six games, Bentleigh has won four games and there have been three draws.
In the last encounter between the two sides earlier this year on Friday 20 March, South came back from a 2-0 deficit to draw 2-2.
In the corresponding fixture played at Lakeside Stadium on Sunday 11 May 2014, South triumphed 2-1 thanks to second half goals from Milos Lujic and