Tuesday, 7 September 2010 12:42 PM
By George Kouroumalis
Fernando De Moraes has continued an amazing individual week by capturing the 2010 Victorian Premier League Gold Medal for the Player of the Year Award. In a glorious night at the Victory Room at Etihad Stadium, De Moraes was able to create South Melbourne FC history by becoming the Club’s first ever recipient of the medal.
Despite missing three VPL games due to injury in 2010, Fernando polled three votes in the final game against Sunshine George Cross to win the medal by a single vote over Heidelberg’s Yanni Galanos. Fernando’s season was made all the more exceptional with 13 league goals, which placed him in second position on the league’s Golden Boot tally behind Northcote City’s Trent Rixon. What made this achievement even more remarkable was that his goals came from midfield and that he was also a key contributor in setting up many of South’s other goals.
In more fantastic news for South Melbourne FC, goalkeeper Peter Zois was awarded the 2010 Victorian Premier League Goalkeeper of the Year award. Zois produced many first-class saves in an individually outstanding season that culminated in seven clean sheets but more importantly several match-winning saves. He was rewarded with his first Goalkeeper of the Year award and now joins former South captain Dean Anastasiadis as the only South goalkeepers to have won this award, with Dean winning back-to-back awards in 2005 and 2006.
South Melbourne FC congratulates both Fernando De Moraes and Peter Zois on their wonderful individual achievements and hopes that their outstanding 2010 form continues in the RHB Singapore Cup next month and then in the 2011 Victorian Premier League season.