Author: John Kyrou

Thursday, 14 May 2009 10:10 AM

By John Kyrou | Photo by Craig Varty

South Melbourne FC will be looking to firmly hold onto second spot on the league ladder when it travels to Chaplin Reserve on Sunday to take on Sunshine George Cross. An away win will almost certainly see South complete the first half of the season in second position on the table.

Since beginning 2009 with two straight losses at home, the Blues have been undefeated in eight matches. South will enter Sunday’s match in good form, following a 2-0 home win against Altona last Sunday, its third clean sheet of the season. The victory allowed South to cling onto second spot thanks to a slightly better goal difference over third-placed Heidelberg.

Sunshine will enter Sunday’s match on a four match unbeaten run. Like South, George Cross also began the season slowly but in recent weeks has consolidated its position in the league. Sunshine is only one point from 5th position despite presently sitting in eighth spot and will no doubt be highly motivated for a positive result against South to further push up the table.

The Sunshine players for the South defence to watch out for are Johnny Sapazovski and George Papadopoulos. The pair has only scored four goals in total this season; however those goals have directly influenced George Cross’ unbeaten form in the last month. South’s defence has recorded two clean sheets in a row however has proven to be shaky. If the defence is able to contain Papadopoulos and Sapazovski’s influence on the match, the away side should be able to force a result.

Sunday’s contest will be the 54th league meeting between the two sides. Battles have been taking place in both the VPL and the old National Soccer League since 1961. In the first ever league meeting between the sides, South defeated George Cross 1-0 in front of around 8,500 spectators at Olympic Park. Prior to joining the NSL in 1977, South enjoyed 13 wins, George Cross won 8 times and the sides drew 11 times.

The battles resumed when Sunshine joined the NSL in 1984. South enjoyed 9 wins, George Cross 6 and only one draw was registered. One of South’s greatest wins was in the 1990/91 season when the home side came back from a 1-3 deficit to beat George Cross 4-3 at Middle Park. It has been all square since South’s return to the VPL in 2005, with 2 wins apiece and 2 draws between the two sides.

Sunday’s match kicks off at 3pm at Chaplin Reserve.

Sunshine George Cross v South Melbourne FC – An Overview

First VPL match:
Round 5, 1961
South Melbourne 1-0 Sunshine George Cross
(SMFC Goal: Savvas Salapasidis)
Venue: Olympic Park

First NSL match:
Round 8, 1984
South Melbourne 0-1 Sunshine George Cross
Venue: Middle Park

Last NSL match:
Round 20, 1990/91
Sunshine George Cross 0-1 South Melbourne
(SMFC Goal: Con Boutsianis)
Venue: Skinner Reserve

Last VPL match:
Round 24, 2007
South Melbourne 0-2 Sunshine George Cross
Venue: Bob Jane Stadium

Total Games (League): 54
South Melbourne Wins: 24
Sunshine GC Wins: 16
Draws: 14

Highest Aggregate Score:
Round 17, 1989 NSL
Sunshine George Cross 2-5 South Melbourne
(SMFC Goals: Steve Tasios x2, Harry Micheil, Ange Postecoglou, Kimon Taliadoros)
Venue: Chaplin Reserve

Round 7, 1990/91 NSL
South Melbourne 4-3 Sunshine George Cross
(SMFC Goals: Peter Tsolakis, Mike Petersen, Paul Trimboli, Kimon Taliadoros)
Venue: Middle Park

SMFC Biggest Win:
Round 3, 1974 VPL
South Melbourne 5-1 Sunshine George Cross
(SMFC Goals: Jim Armstrong x2, Andy Savage, Ron Smith, Nick Nechvoglod)
Venue: Middle Park

SGC Biggest Win:
Round 6, 1988 NSL
South Melbourne 1-4 Sunshine George Cross
(SMFC Goal: Steve Tasios)
Venue: Middle Park

Last 5 Meetings:

Round 24, 2007
South Melbourne 0-2 George Cross   (Bob Jane Stadium)

Round 15, 2007
George Cross 0-2 South Melbourne   (Chaplin Reserve)

Round 20, 2006
South Melbourne 1-1 George Cross   (Bob Jane Stadium)

Round 7, 2006
George Cross 1-0 South Melbourne   (Chaplin Reserve)

Round 21, 2005
George Cross 0-0 South Melbourne   (Chaplin Reserve)

Wednesday, 6 May 2009 1:34 PM

By John Kyrou

Fernando de Moraes looks set to make his 100th league appearance for South Melbourne FC in Sunday’s match against Altona at Bob Jane Stadium.

Fernando made his debut in the 1-0 loss away at Green Gully in round 9 of the 2005 VPL season. It took him seven matches to score his first goal for the club, but the finish was definitely worth the wait. His 87th minute free kick against the Frankston Pines at BJS in round 16 sealed a 3-1 win for the home side. Fernando went on to score two more goals for the season as South made the Preliminary Final. Unfortunately, his penalty miss against Heidelberg at the Olympic Village came at a large cost, as the Bergers held on to win the match 1-0 and deny South a Grand Final spot.

Fernando’s 2006 season was what elevated him to superstar status at Lakeside. He took all before him in South’s championship-winning season and the culmination was his turn and cross from the left that enabled Gianni de Nittis to head home the winning goal in the Grand Final against Altona. Fernando’s outstanding Grand Final performance was recognised as he was awarded the Jimmy Rooney Medal for Best Afield. The icing on the cake was a clean sweep of all the individual club awards, as Fernando won both the SMFC and Clarendon Corner Most Valuable Player of the Year awards, as well as finishing as the club’s top goal scorer for the season with 12 goals.

While the Futsalroo’s form in recent seasons has not been as outstanding as his form of 2006, he has still proved to be a valuable and key member of the side. Despite struggling in 2008, Fernando still finished as the club’s leading goal scorer (9 goals). Three goals this season sees him sitting in equal second spot (with Vaughan Coveny) in the club’s goal scoring, with only Goran Zoric ahead (6 goals).

South Melbourne FC congratulates Fernando de Moraes on his milestone and wishes him all the best for Sunday’s game and for the rest of the season. Supporters are encouraged to attend Sunday’s match to help Fernando and the team consolidate second spot on the league ladder.

Fernando de Moraes – SMFC Statistics:
DOB 21st January 1980
Debut v Green Gully (round 9, 2005 @ Green Gully Reserve, 1-0 loss)
2006 SMFC Most Valuable Player of the Year
2006 Clarendon Corner Most Valuable Player of the Year
Member of the 2006 VPL championship team
2006 SMFC Leading Goal Scorer (12 goals)
2006 Jimmy Rooney Medal (Man of the match in Grand Final)
Member of the 2007 Hellenic Cup championship team
50th match v Altona Magic (round 8, 2007 @ BJS, 1-3 loss)
2008 SMFC Leading Goal Scorer (9 goals)
Member of the 2009 Hellenic Cup championship team

Season Breakdown:
2005 – 17 games (14 starts, 3 subs), 3 goals
2006 – 26 games (25 starts, 1 sub), 12 goals
2007 – 22 games (18 starts, 4 subs), 4 goals
2008 – 25 games (23 starts, 2 subs), 9 goals
2009 – 9 games (8 starts, 1 sub), 3 goals
Total – 99 games (88 starts, 11 subs), 31 goals

Thursday, 30 April 2009 6:47 PM

By John Kyrou | Photo by Paul Touliatos

South Melbourne FC hosts the Oakleigh Cannons on Sunday in a crucial match for both sides. A win will consolidate South’s position in the top two while a win for the Cannons will get their season back on track whilst easing the pressure on former South championship player and coach John Anastasiadis.

After two home defeats in the opening two rounds of the season, South has hit back in fine style, registering five wins and a draw to sit in second spot on the league table. Last weekend, South defeated Hume City 2-1 away at Broadmeadows Valley Park to win the inaugural ANZAC Day Cup between the two sides. By opening the scoring for the afternoon, veteran and club legend Vaughan Coveny celebrated his 100th league goal for the club, making him only the second South player behind Paul Trimboli (115 league goals) to achieve the milestone.

While South enters the match on the back of excellent and consistent form, Oakleigh will visit Bob Jane Stadium after a run of inconsistent results. The Cannons began the season with a fine 4-1 demolition of Heidelberg but have only registered two wins since. A Michael Curcija goal handed the Cannons a 1-0 loss at Altona last weekend, meaning the club remained in eighth spot in the league and four points from the top 5. With the first round of matches for the season nearly complete, the Cannons will be after a big win on Sunday to bridge the gap between it and the top 5 sides.

If previous matches between the two clubs at Lakeside are anything to go by, Sunday’s contest will produce a result. Since South returned to the VPL in 2005, both sides have enjoyed two wins apiece at the ground with no draws between them. Oakleigh won 0-1 both in 2005 and 2006 while South hammered the Cannons 5-2 in 2007 and 3-1 in 2008. South’s last three goals against the Cannons in the 5-2 win (78’, 84’, 86’) registered as the fifth quickest goal haul at South since 1977.

The match will mark the return of recent South players in Trent Waterson, Robbie Wynne and Ricky Diaco. South legend Dean Anastasiadis looks set to continue as the Cannons’ second-choice goalkeeper behind first-choice Adrian Cagalj, while former South man Bill Damianos looks set to miss the contest after receiving his marching orders at Altona. Diaco will need to be monitored carefully as he has scored in all the games that the Cannons have won in 2009 (four goals from three matches).

South’s forward pairing of Coveny and Goran Zoric has been impressive, with a return of nine goals between them so far this season. With 19 goals from eight games, South is the highest scoring team in the league despite being held goalless in the opening two matches. The home side will be hoping that Coveny can edge closer to breaking Trimboli’s club record, while Zoric can continue as the top scorer in the league. Presently, the youngster is equal first with Heidelberg’s Osagie Ederaro with six goals apiece.

The match kicks off at 4pm on Sunday at Bob Jane Stadium. Supporters are strongly encouraged to attend and lend their support to South as it seeks to claim outright second spot in the league. 2009 merchandise will also be available.

On a side note, the South Melbourne FC players, coaching staff, administration, volunteers and supporters would like to pass on its best wishes to former player Sam Poutakidis, who was involved in a bicycle riding accident last week and is currently in hospital recovering. Poutakidis played for South in 2003/04 and 2008 and for Oakleigh from 2005 to 2007.

Monday, 27 April 2009 9:39 AM

By John Kyrou

Vaughan Coveny’s goal against Hume City on Saturday brought up his 100th league goal for South Melbourne FC in both the National Soccer League and Victorian Premier League. Throughout Coveny’s twelve seasons at Bob Jane Stadium, supporters have taken great delight in seeing their quick and strong forward score many fantastic goals from headers or with his feet. We look back at Coveny’s career at South whilst acknowledging his milestone achievement.

Coveny was brought to South in 1995 by Frank Arok, the senior coach at the time. Before his arrival, Vaughan had experienced NSL football with both the Melbourne Knights and Wollongong. The big Kiwi’s first goal for the club was on the 24th of September 1995 in a Docherty Cup Quarter Final match against Preston at Connor Reserve. Coveny took possession of the ball and outpaced the Preston defence before firing home the away side’s third goal in what turned out to be a comfortable 1-4 victory. A goal in the Semi Final against Morwell and then another in the Final against the Melbourne Knights took the big man to three goals from three games, as South won the Docherty Cup.

Coveny had an excellent debut season for the club in the 1995/96 NSL season, registering nine goals from his 26 games. However he saved his best for the club’s NSL Cup run, with a hat-trick against the Melbourne Knights in the First Round first leg. He added to this with another goal against Marconi in the Quarter Final before scoring a double against Newcastle in the Final. His goals helped South to a 3-1 win to add to its Docherty Cup triumph at the beginning of the campaign. Coveny’s incredible burst of speed and pace when taking on defenders was soon noticed by supporters and the football staff alike, who were both quick to tag him with the nickname of ‘horse’.

Seasons 1996/97 to 1998/99 showed just how valuable Coveny was to the team, as the big forward registered 28 goals to help South reach the Preliminary Final in 1996/97 before going on to win back-to-back championships the next two seasons. One of his finest seasons was in 1998/99, with a return of 14 goals from 31 matches. Season 1999/00 was his leanest in the NSL, with only six goals from 33 matches. However Coveny nearly made history as he twice went agonisingly close to scoring against Manchester United in the inaugural FIFA World Club Championships in Rio de Janeiro, including having a shot that hit the left post and roll across the goal line before hitting the right post and staying out.

Horse was back to his best for the 2000/01 season, scoring eight goals and sharing the goal scoring with Con Boutsianis (14), Andy Vlahos (13) and Vas Kalogeracos (6) as the team fell just short of a record fifth NSL championship. The following season South was rooted to the bottom of the ladder halfway through the season, but it was no surprise that when Coveny (injury) and Boutsianis (Kingz FC) returned to the line-up that the side soared up the ladder to qualify for the finals series. Coveny hit seven goals in the last 9 games of the regular season, including a hat-trick against Wollongong at WIN Stadium in round 25. He added to this in the finals series with a double against the Brisbane Strikers in the first leg of the Elimination Final at BJS.

Although South missed out on the finals in 2002/03, it was through no fault of Coveny, who added another 11 goals to his tally, this time from only 21 matches. Supporters will remember his double against Sydney Olympic in the unforgettable 6-4 home victory, with the Kiwi’s 89th minute penalty wrapping up the three points. New coach Stuart Munro appointed Coveny as captain for the 2003/04 NSL season and the big man did not disappoint, with another big haul of 12 goals from 24 matches. This included a hat-trick against Newcastle in round 5 (4-1 win at BJS) and two doubles, against Wollongong in round 3 (1-4 win at WIN Stadium) and in round 14 against Parramatta (2-1 win at BJS).

Coveny showed his loyalty to South by continuing on with the club when it re-joined the VPL in 2005. His power shot from a free kick outside the area gave South its first goal and first three points for the campaign against St Albans in round 2 at BJS and he ended the season with a respectable eight goals. His other memorable strikes for the season included the last-minute equaliser against St Albans at Churchill Reserve in round 15 (2-2 draw) and the long-distance rocket against Preston at Connor Reserve in round 23 (0-1 win). Horse only played 10 matches in 2006 before being signed by A-League side Newcastle; however he still managed to score six goals before departing.

Coveny again showed his loyalty to South by returning to BJS this season, after retiring from the A-League. A class double in the Hellenic Cup Semi Final victory against Oakleigh and a powerful finish in the 3-0 demolition of Heidelberg in the Final showed the importance of Coveny’s addition to the side, especially after South’s struggle in consistently scoring goals in recent seasons. Despite a slow start to 2009, Coveny has showed his class in recent weeks, with an assist and goal against the Melbourne Knights and then an outstanding strike against Richmond to bring up his 99th league goal. His header into the open net against Hume brought up the milestone, making him only the second player to reach 100 league goals for South. Only Paul Trimboli has scored more, with 115 goals.

Coveny’s 100th league goal for the club has been well deserved for a player that has been a role model not only for South Melbourne FC but also for Australian and New Zealand football.

Vaughan Coveny – Total SMFC Goals – All Competitions
National Soccer League – 83
Victorian Premier League – 17
National Cup – 7
Dockerty Cup – 5
Hellenic Cup – 3
TOTAL – 115

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, 15 April 2009 9:35 AM

By John Kyrou

South Melbourne FC travels to Green Gully Reserve on Saturday to take on fifth-placed Green Gully in what is shaping up as a very important match for the club. With Oakleigh and Richmond drawing 1-1 in their round 7 match on Easter Monday, an away victory for South will secure third spot in the league and possibly even second depending on Heidelberg’s result against the Melbourne Knights on Monday.

A positive result is also vitally important because should he play, captain Rama Tavsancioglu will celebrate his 100th league game for the club, a milestone only 36 other players have reached since South entered the National Soccer League in 1977. There will be another milestone broken should Vaughan Coveny score, as he is one goal off 100 league goals for South Melbourne FC over a 12 season career in both the NSL and the Victorian Premier League.

Despite the forthcoming milestones, the home side will no doubt make South’s task as hard as possible to achieve. History shows that South has not beaten Gully away in a league match since round 21 of the 1986 NSL season. On that September day, a goal each from Bobby Russell and Manny Anezakis led South to a 0-2 win. This means that South has not beaten Gully away in nearly 23 years. Since resuming in the VPL in 2005, South has picked up only one draw from 5 matches at Green Gully Reserve and lost the rest. To make matters worse, South has failed to score there in all five matches. With Gully only one place below South in the league standings heading into this fixture, there is no doubt that the away side will face a tough opponent. In the corresponding fixture last season, South had a bucketload of chances but could not stop Gully from winning 1-0.

While the above facts seem daunting, South can go into the fixture full of confidence after winning four games in a row, with the last result being a comprehensive 3-0 belting of ladder leaders Richmond at Bob Jane Stadium. Speaking afterwards, coach Michael Michalakopoulos was not fazed about Saturday’s trip, mentioning that “my job and the players’ job is to make sure statistics like the Gully one are erased and we are looking forward to doing that.” With Coveny motivated to score his ton and Goran Zoric on fire up forward (six goals in 6 games has him as the league’s leading goal scorer), South probably has its best chance yet of breaking the hoodoo on Saturday.

Gully heads into the match on the back of its first defeat of the season against Altona Magic. However prior to this the Cavaliers won 4 of their opening 5 matches and did not concede a goal in the process. This set a record as Gully became the first team to go through the opening five rounds without conceding since the Victorian State League was renamed the Victorian Premier League in 1991. Gully has a very strong team, with players such as Steven Tilovski, Joel Nikolic, Andy Vargas, Kole Delev, Jeffrey Fleming and Pablo Cardozo all capable of destroying South. Cardozo in particular will need to be monitored closely. Despite only netting once this season, he hit 21 goals from 23 matches last season for Richmond.

Saturday’s match will kick off at 4pm. All South supporters are encouraged to make the trip to Keilor Downs to support the team whilst potentially celebrating Rama’s 100th match and Coveny’s 100th league goal for the club.

Monday, 13 April 2009 10:51 AM

By John Kyrou

At the 2009 South Melbourne FC season launch, Rama Tavsancioglu mentioned wanting to become one of the SMFC greats. “I want to be the next Paul Trimboli” said the newly-appointed club captain. If fit and available for the match against Green Gully at Green Gully Reserve on Saturday afternoon, the inspirational Rama will join an elite group of players – Trimboli included – that have represented the most successful Australian football club 100 times in the National Soccer League/Victorian Premier League.

‘Rama’ as he is affectionately known, was brought to the club by former coach John Anastasiadis in 2005, South’s first year back in the VPL. Although only 20 years of age when he made his debut against Frankston, Rama made an immediate impact by cementing his place in a side that achieved a surprise Preliminary Finals appearance. The supporters recognised Rama’s efforts by naming him the Under 21 Player of the Year. The following season, Rama’s passion and dashing defensive runs were instrumental in helping South to finish third in the regular season before going on to win the club’s eighth VPL championship.

Rama celebrated the opening of the 2007 season by being part of the Hellenic Cup triumph against Oakleigh, before reaching his 50th match for the club in the 3-3 home draw against Heidelberg. Even though South did not qualify for the finals in the 2007 and 2008 seasons, Rama continued to prove to be one of the side’s most valuable assets. He even chipped in with two memorable goals – the first a rocket against Whittlesea Zebras at Epping Stadium (3-2 loss) and the second a memorable run and low finish at the near post against Oakleigh at Bob Jane Stadium (5-2 win).

Rama’s efforts did not go unnoticed entering this season, as senior coach Michael Michalakopoulos rewarded him for his loyalty by naming him as captain of the club in its 50th year anniversary. He has already lifted one trophy as captain, as South won the pre-season Hellenic Cup competition. Rama becomes the 37th player to reach the 100 game milestone for South since 1977 when the club entered the NSL.

Rama Tavsancioglu – SMFC Statistics:

• DOB 7th June 1984
• Debut v Frankston Pines (round 3, 2005 @ Monterey Reserve, 1-2 win)
• 2005 Clarendon Corner Under 21 Most Valuable Player of the Year
• Member of the 2006 VPL championship team
• Member of the 2007 Hellenic Cup championship team
• 50th match v Heidelberg (round 1, 2006 @ Bob Jane Stadium, 3-3 draw)
• 2008 Clarendon Corner Most Valuable Player of the Year
• Captain of the 2009 Hellenic Cup championship team
• 2009 Club Captain

Season Breakdown:
2005 – 26 games (25 starts, 1 sub), 2 goals
2006 – 23 games (23 starts, 0 subs), 1 goal
2007 – 24 games (23 starts, 1 sub), 2 goals
2008 – 21 games (21 starts, 0 subs)
2009 – 5 games (5 starts, 0 subs)
Total – 99 games (97 starts, 2 subs), 5 goals

Thursday, 2 April 2009 10:44 AM

By John Kyrou

South Melbourne FC will host the Richmond Eagles on Sunday in arguably the match of round 6 in the Victorian Premier League. The high-flying Eagles will travel to Bob Jane Stadium to face a red-hot South that has won three matches in a row.

Along with newly-promoted Dandenong Thunder, Richmond has started season 2009 in outstanding form and will enter Sunday’s contest as deserved league leaders. The Eagles have been undefeated in their opening five matches, with four wins and a draw to show for their efforts. The most recent result was a 5-1 hammering of the Preston Lions at Kevin Bartlett Reserve that nearly made history for the Eagles. Had Blaze Georgioski not scored a consolation goal for the Lions in the 90th minute, the Eagles would have joined Green Gully in being the only teams to record 5 clean sheets in the opening five rounds of the season since the old Victorian State League was re-named the Victorian Premier League in 1991.

In contrast, South cannot stop leaking goals, conceding a single goal in every one of its 5 games in 2009. However, the Blues cannot stop scoring at the other end as well, as evidenced in the last three rounds with 12 goals in 3 games. As a result, South are the highest goal scorers after 5 rounds but more importantly the team has consolidated fifth spot in the league. A win on Sunday can potentially lift South into third spot, making the match very important for the home side heading into the Easter break. The 1-3 victory against Whittlesea Zebras on Tuesday night was the perfect result in the lead-up for Sunday’s game. The ever-dangerous Goran Zoric’s opening goal against the Zebras meant he now joins Heidelberg’s Osagie Ederaro at the top of the individual goal scoring charts with 5 goals from 5 games.

For statistics lovers, the home side will go into the match with several milestones on the verge of being broken. If selected, captain Rama Tavsancioglu will make his 99th senior appearance for the club, with Futsalroo Fernando De Moraes just behind on 96 appearances. Former Kiwi international and South legend Vaughan Coveny will break 100 league goals for South if he can find the back of the net twice against Richmond, while five goals from the home side will bring up 400 South Melbourne goals at Bob Jane Stadium in 195 matches at the venue.

Richmond has been a difficult opponent for South since they were promoted into the VPL in 2006. Though South has won four of the six encounters between the two, it has always been by a single goal. Richmond has managed to taste victory at Bob Jane Stadium, winning the 2007 encounter 0-1 after ex-South goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak spilt a low cross to allow Steven Burton to score the winning goal. In the corresponding fixture last season, a 48th minute Gianni De Nittis goal was enough to give lowly South a confidence-boosting 1-0 win over an in-form Richmond side.

The match kicks off at 4pm on Sunday at Bob Jane Stadium. South supporters are strongly encouraged to attend and lend their valued support to the home team in its quest to beat the league leaders and consolidate the club’s position in the top five.

Monday, 23 March 2009 6:15 PM

By John Kyrou

South Melbourne FC has earned its first win at home for season 2009, with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over old rivals Melbourne Knights at Bob Jane Stadium on Sunday evening. The result meant that South has now scored 9 goals in its last two outings, after scoring 7 at Preston the week before.

The first half was a timid affair, with few chances created. The closest either side got to opening the scoring was a low shot by Mate Dugandzic that was comfortably handled by South keeper Tommi Tomich, returning to the starting line-up after being omitted for the Preston game.

The second half started brightly for South Melbourne FC, as Fernando de Moraes pressed forward to partner Vaughan Coveny in attack. The impact was immediate, as a ball played from the right into the area was flicked into Fernando’s path via Coveny’s head. The Futsalroo was through one-on-one with Knights keeper Savas Ozdemir and he made no mistake in comfortably slotting the ball to Ozdemir’s left and into the corner of the net, giving South Melbourne FC its first home goal for 2009, and more importantly the lead.

All of a sudden the home side was in control, and chances were coming thick and fast, with the best being a Shane Nunes left foot rocket that smashed into the crossbar. Despite the chances, the Knights held firm, largely thanks to Craig Elvin who had an extremely solid match. However even Elvin could not stop South from doubling its lead in the 65th minute. Ozdemir’s poor goal kick was headed back into the South attack by left-back Rhodri Payne. Coveny had stayed onside and as a result, Payne’s header put him through one-on-one with Ozdemir. Coveny calmly put the ball between Ozdemir’s legs and into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead and at the same time notch his 98th career goal for South.

By this stage the home side was in complete control, and should have had a third but for poor finishing. The Knights had barely been a threat, but out of nowhere, pulled a goal back in the 70th minute. A poor mix-up in the South defence saw the ball spill to Dugandzic, whose finish was full of class as he beat Tomich at his near post to halve the lead.

Suddenly South began to panic unnecessarily, which allowed the Knights back into the contest. However despite some scary moments, the defence held firm. In fact South should have wrapped the match up but for poor decision-making up forward and Elvin’s class in defence for the Knights. Goran Zoric was the most unlucky, with his shot being cleared off the line by Elvin. After over 5 minutes of injury time, referee Damir Basic’s fulltime whistle signalled a very hard-fought but well-earnt 2-1 victory for the home team.

South Melbourne’s next match is away to the Whittlesea Zebras on Monday March 30th, with the venue still to be confirmed. Kick-off is scheduled for 8:30pm. The Melbourne Knights’ next match is away to Green Gully, on Saturday March 28th. Kick-off is at 5pm.

South Melbourne 2-1 Melbourne Knights
(Goal Scorers: SMFC – De Moraes 50’, Coveny 65’. Knights – Dugandzic 70’)

SMFC Line-up: Tommi Tomich, Shane Nunes, Rhodri Payne, Steve O’Dor, Vaughan Coveny, Joseph Youssef, Rama Tavsancioglu, Stiven Mrkela, Goran Zoric, Fernando De Moraes, Sebastian Petrovic

Melbourne Knights Line-up: Savas Ozdemir, Jamie Cumming, John Fitzgerald, James Sherman, Matthew Grbesa, Mate Dugandzcic, Joshua Groenewald, Greg Draper, Dimitri Hatzimouratis, Craig Elvin, Alex Kiratzoglou.

Thursday, 19 March 2009 1:12 PM

By John Kyrou

South Melbourne hosts its old rivals in the Melbourne Knights on Sunday in what promises to be a cracking derby match.

South will go into the fixture on the back of an incredible 7-1 away win against Preston last Sunday, with the win stretching the club’s unbeaten run at Connor Reserve to 23 years. More importantly, the win earned the club its first three points for 2009 after two home defeats opened the new season on a bad note.

The Knights will visit Bob Jane Stadium on the back of an excellent 0-1 victory against the Oakleigh Cannons last Friday. It was an important win for the Knights, making amends after the previous week’s loss at Richmond. With six points from their first three matches, the Knights sit in fourth position on the table, three places above South.

Although South are the highest scoring team in the league after three rounds, the reality is that all the goals were scored in one match. While the seven goals at Preston were remarkable, the reality is that South has failed to score in both home games so far. Despite such a proud home record at Bob Jane Stadium (122 wins in 192 matches and only 39 losses), South has lost at home 12 times since the 2006 VPL championship. A strong home record will be needed to make the VPL finals series and a positive result against a strong Knights side will continue the good form from Preston as well as begin to salvage the side’s home record.

South’s key player in unlocking the Knights defence will be Goran Zoric. After a frustrating 2008 season, the 21 year old has been one of South’s best this season, with a man-of-the-match award in the Hellenic Cup final against Heidelberg and then an unbelievable four goals against Preston. Zoric’s speed and determination to win every challenge, as well as shooting at every opportunity, will be vital in the home side’s attempts at a positive home result against their rivals.

The Melbourne Knights fixture is always a highlight for South, as the two sides have battled out many memorable games over the years. While the Knights never defeated South at Bob Jane Stadium in the old National Soccer League, they have taken the honours away from Lakeside twice since the two clubs returned to the VPL. For many South fans their favourite win against the Knights at Bob Jane Stadium is in fact their first ever encounter at the ground, when Ivan Kelic’s late header defeated the reigning NSL champions 1-0 in front of 11,547 fans in the 1995/96 NSL season. South has also recorded its highest ever win against the Knights at home, when it defeated the Knights 7-0 at Lakeside in 2006.

In the corresponding fixture last season, the high-flying Knights fought back from a 2-0 deficit early in the second half to draw 2-2 against a South side desperate for the three points to push for a finals position. In the last three league meetings between the two sides, South’s defence has leaked 7 goals against the Knights and as a result the Knights have picked up seven points from a possibly nine.

Sunday’s match will be yet another installment in a cross-town rivalry between two powerhouse Australian clubs that have battled in many memorable games both on a state and national league level. Kick-off is 6pm on Sunday at Bob Jane Stadium.

Monday, 16 March 2009 11:15 AM

By John Kyrou | Photos by Cindy Nitsos

South Melbourne FC produced one of its finest away performances in the club’s 50 year history by thumping rivals Preston by the astonishing score line of 1-7 at BT Connor Reserve. Goran Zoric scored four second half goals in what was a remarkable individual performance.

South went into the fixture on the back of two heartbreaking 0-1 home defeats in the opening rounds of the 2009 Victorian Premier League season. However, the away side travelled with confidence having not lost at the venue in 22 years, with the last defeat being a narrow 2-1 loss in the 1987 National Soccer League season. Preston, who is also celebrating its 50th year, entered the contest having lost 1-2 at home to the Melbourne Knights in the opening round then having its match against Altona postponed last weekend due to a lighting failure.

South started nervously and Preston took full advantage to open the scoring.
Barely a minute had registered on the clock when the Lions capitalised on a defensive mix-up in the six-yard area, with Robert Dolevski’s low and hard shot giving deputising South goalkeeper Andrew Sfetkopoulos no chance. Despite conceding so early, the away team kept their cool and were very unlucky not to be level only minutes later, when Vaughan Coveny’s header was cleared off the line by the Lions defence.

South eventually found its rhythm and the team began to settle into the BT Connor Reserve conditions and dominate possession, especially down the wings. As a result, chances to score came thick and fast but Preston’s goalkeeper was up to the task, comfortably dealing with shots from Coveny, Joseph Youssef and Fernando de Moraes. South’s dominance down the wings was finally rewarded in the 29th minute. A low and hard cross from the right by Fernando found centre-back Steve O’Dor, who had charged up forward. O’Dor did not need a second chance as he smashed home the equaliser for only his second ever South goal.

From that moment, South took complete control of the match. In the 37th minute, clever one-touch play between Nunes and Coveny set Nunes up for a left-foot shot that should have given South the lead. A minute later, Fernando again found himself with an acre of space on the right wing. The Futsalroo rounded an opponent but fired the ball quickly across the box without realising how much more time he had to properly pick out one of three team mates, who were all positioned for a simple tap-in. The frustration for the away side continued when Coveny’s beautifully timed through-ball over the top of the Preston defence set Gianni de Nittis one-on-one with the Preston keeper, however the shot was well saved. From the resultant corner, Youssef’s volley flew over the bar.

With the half entering into injury time, South continued to hassle and put pressure on their opponents in order to take the lead. Their dominance finally paid off in the 47th minute when excellent build-up play by Payne, Zoric and Coveny saw the ball fall to Youssef outside the area.
Youssef calmly rounded two opponents to create an opening before hitting a low shot into the bottom left corner of the goal to send the travelling supporters wild behind the goal at the other end of the ground.

The match was over within the opening 10 minutes of the second half as South simply continued their dominance in possession and goal-scoring chances that had been enjoyed in the first half. Fernando nearly scored a remarkable goal in the 53rd minute when a delightful turn and shot from outside the area sizzled just wide of the post. Until that point South had created 6-7 excellent opportunities throughout the game to bury their opponents and wrap up the match but had not yet been able to do so.

This was when Zoric stepped up for one of the most remarkable solo efforts by a South player in its history. His first goal came through great lead-up work down the left wing by Payne and substitute Sam Torrens, who cut the ball back to Zoric just outside the area. Zoric turned his man before unleashing a beautiful curling effort that flew across the goals and into the top right corner. Eight minutes later, a similar build-up from the wing saw Zoric produce a class flick of the ball to get around his opponent before slotting the ball into the same corner of the net to make the score 1-4.

With the match over as a contest, South coach Michael Michalakopoulos decided to rest his players, sending Francesco Stella and Danni Radojicic on to replace Coveny and de Moraes. With twelve minutes of regular time left, it was 1-5 as Youssef sent Zoric through one-on-one. Instead of going for his hat-trick goal, Zoric unselfishly rounded the keeper before passing across to Radojicic, who tapped the ball into the empty net for his first goal for the club. The youngster, in only his third appearance for South, celebrated with the South supporters that were situated behind the goal.

Zoric finally achieved his hat-trick only two minutes later, when he was fouled in the area, resulting in a yellow card for the Preston keeper. Zoric stepped up to the spot but his penalty was well saved, however the ball rebounded back to the small forward, who tapped the ball into the net for South’s sixth of the evening.

With the match entering its final few minutes, Zoric then scored an outstanding half volley from outside the area that gave the Preston keeper no chance of saving. That remarkable strike capped off a wonderful afternoon for the young talent, who became the first South player to score four goals in a match in nearly eight years. The last occasion was at Bob Jane Stadium on April 29th 2001, when Con Boutsianis’ four goals against Northern Spirit in the final round of the 2000/01 season led the club to a 6-2 win.

South faces a difficult match against the Melbourne Knights at Bob Jane Stadium next Sunday, where the club will be looking for back-to-back wins and its first points at home for the season. Kick-off is at 6pm.