Thursday, 12 September 2013 11:10 PM
South Melbourne FC wishes to advise that it will be holding its annual MVP Night on Sunday 22nd September at its Principal Partner Beachcomber Cafe at St Kilda Baths at 6.30pm.
Entry is free with food and beverages at bar prices.
The MVP Night event is to be held after the last home and away season fixture at Port Melbourne. Once the match has ended, head to Beachcomber Cafe and see who will be awarded the 2013 Most Valuable Player accolade.
Thursday, 12 September 2013 10:58 PM
By John Kyrou
South Melbourne FC hosts Victorian Premier League leaders Northcote City at Lakeside Stadium on Saturday night in a match that the home side needs to win in order to keep control of its destiny in the race for finals football in 2013. Winning its final two games against Northcote and then Port Melbourne (next Sunday 22 September) will confirm Chris Taylor’s side a spot in the top five, however it will not be easy to achieve against the teams currently ranked first and fourth on the League table.
South goes into Saturday night having lost its previous game 2-1 against the Melbourne Knights in the derby at Somers Street on 1 September. Although Tyson Holmes scored a great goal to level the scores before halftime, South could not put away its chances in the second half and were punished when Andrew Barisic curled a wonderful effort past Peter Gavalas to give the Knights all three points. Northcote goes into the match on the back of a come-from-behind 2-1 win against Dandenong Thunder at John Cain Reserve. Northcote will win the Minor Premiership should it defeat South on Saturday due to its three point lead and +23 goal difference ahead of the Melbourne Knights.
In the corresponding fixture played between the two sides on Sunday 3 June 2012, James Kalifatidis got on the end of a flicked header from a long ball and slotted the ball past Peter Gavalas for what proved to be the winning goal. Earlier this season on 23 June at John Cain Reserve, a Milos Lujic first half goal was followed by a Kristian Konstantinidis header and a Michael Catalano thunderbolt that resulted in Northcote hammering South 3-0 in what was a deserved result.
Fans are reminded that the Under-21s match kicks off at 4PM on Saturday and will be followed by a South Legends match at 6PM that is a curtain-raiser to the main game at 8PM.
Tuesday, 3 September 2013 11:49 AM
South Melbourne FC is delighted to announce the annual SMFC Golf Day will be held on Friday 11th October at the Albert Park Golf Course.
The registration fee is $100 per player, and tee off will be in groups of four. As part of the registration fee, a BBQ and drinks will be provided at the end of the 18th hole. There will be competitions and prizes to be won throughout the day.
Please contact SMFC General Manager at the SMFC Office on 9645 9797 or gm@smfc.com.au.
Click here to download the brochure and registration form for further information.
Monday, 2 September 2013 4:25 PM
South Melbourne FC is excited to announce the return of the SMFC Corporate Challenge Cup for 2013, which is scheduled for Saturday 21st September in Albert Park.
Played in 2009 and 2010, the SMFC Corporate Challenge Cup was taken out by Coffex Coffee and IBM respectively.
The SMFC Corporate Challenge Cup is a five a side tournament, however, it is recommended that at least two substitutes be utilised as well. Teams will be divided into groups, which will be determined by the number of competing teams.
The registration fee is $1,000 per team.
If all available spots are filled, a waiting list will be created in case of any last minute cancellations.
Please contact SMFC General Manager at the SMFC Office on 9645 9797 or gm@smfc.com.au.
Click here to download the brochure and registration form for further information.
Monday, 2 September 2013 12:17 PM
By John Kyrou
South Melbourne FC suffered a massive blow in its quest for finals football in 2013 when it was defeated 2-1 by the Melbourne Knights at Somers Street on Sunday afternoon. Despite Tyson Holmes cancelling out James McGarry’s goal in the first half, South could not take its chances in front of goal in the second half and were punished by Andrew Barisic’s nice finish after 67 minutes that ultimately proved to be the winning goal.
Following the 2-2 draw at Lakeside Stadium earlier this season on 16 June, both sides were intent on getting three points in order secure a top three position on the Victorian Premier League ladder and with it the double-chance in the finals. The Knights were still eyeing off top spot on the table as they sat behind League leaders Northcote City by only three points, whilst South knew a win at Somers Street would elevate it to fourth place and level on points with third-placed Bentleigh Greens, giving it a realistic chance of finishing in the top three.
After a slow start to the match, the Knights took the lead just short of the half-hour when McGarry’s floated free kick from near the halfway line flew over South goalkeeper Peter Gavalas and into the back of the net. It seemed like Gavalas’ view had been obscured by the sun but nevertheless it was a horror goal for the away side to concede. To their credit, South bounced back after conceding the goal and duly leveled proceedings just after the half hour when Holmes controlled the ball before curling a perfect left-footed shot past Chris May and into the bottom corner of the Knights goal. South again had the ball in the back of the net thanks to a volley from Trent Rixon, however the linesman’s flag had already been raised for offside and the goal did not count.
Both sides had good chances to take the lead in the second half. Luke Hopper cut into the penalty area before blasting over May’s goal and then minutes later Shayan Alinejad was put through on goal by McGarry’s through-ball but had his chipped shot saved by the advancing Gavalas. The Knights eventually got their second goal – and what proved to be the winning goal – when Barisic was on hand to curl a right-footed effort past Gavalas from the edge of the box to put them 2-1 up. Rixon missed a great chance to level for South when he put his header over May’s crossbar and then deep into injury time May scrambled to tip substitute Alan Kearney’s chipped shot from distance over his bar and away from danger.
Post- match, South coach Chris Taylor was again thoroughly disappointed at the fact that his side could not keep a clean sheet and continue to gift goals to their opponents. The result means that South has now slipped out of the top five on goal difference. With only two matches remaining in the League season, South will need to win both games (against Northcote City on 14 September and Port Melbourne on 22 September) to qualify for the top five. Anything less than two victories will see South rely on other favourable results to get it into the 2013 VPL finals.
Goal Scorers:
1-0: James McGarry (26′)
1-1: Tyson Holmes (32′)
2-1: Andrew Barisic (67′)
Key Stats (provided by Steven Orchard:
Shots: Melbourne Knights (8) – South Melbourne (23)
Saves: Melbourne Knights (8) – South Melbourne (3)
Turnovers: Melbourne Knights (58) – South Melbourne (60)
Balls into Area: Melbourne Knights (25) – South Melbourne (42)
Shots Blocked: Melbourne Knights (0) – South Melbourne (4)
Melbourne Knights:
Chris MAY (GK), Adam ZILIC, James McGARRY, Andrew BARISIC, William MCLACHLAN, Marijan CVITKOVIC (Christopher TALAJIC 46’ [Jacob COLOSIMO 72’]), Milan BATUR, Ben SUREY, Josh BERRIOS, Shayan ALINEJAD (Ryan FILIPOVIC 90+3’), Sam TORRENS
South Melbourne FC:
1. Peter GAVALAS (GK), 2. Tim MALA (18. Jonathan MUNOZ 90’), 4. Bryan BRAN, 5. Nick EPIFANO (12. Rhys MEREDITH 82’), 7. Luke HOPPER, 9. Trent RIXON, 10. Tyson HOLMES (16. Alan KEARNEY 72’), 11. Brad NORTON (C), 13. Iqi JAWADI, 17. Nick SOOLSMA, 19. Shaun KELLY
SMFC Man of the Match: Bryan Bran
Venue: Knights Stadium
Date: Sunday 1 September 2013
Friday, 30 August 2013 10:12 AM
By John Kyrou
South Melbourne FC travel to Somers Street on Sunday afternoon to play old rivals Melbourne Knights in what is shaping up to being one of the most anticipated derbies between the two sides in recent history. Heading into Round 20, the Knights are in second place on the Victorian Premier League ladder and South is in fifth. A victory for the Knights could put them in equal first place on the ladder with Northcote City, whilst three points for South Melbourne could see it end the round in third spot.
The Knights and South have fought many great battles in both the State League and the National League but incredibly both sides have not featured in the same finals series since they joined the VPL in 2005. The Knights played in the finals in 2007 and 2008 (losing the 2008 Grand Final); South played in the 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2011 finals series (winning the 2006 Grand Final) and both sides missed the finals in 2010 and 2012. Funnily enough, South coach Chris Taylor was in charge at the Knights when they played finals football in 2007 and 2008.
The Knights head into Sunday’s derby in winning form, having defeated Dandenong Thunder 0-1 at George Andrews Reserve last Friday night. The Knights have won three Leagues games in a row, including a remarkable come-from-behind 3-2 win against Bentleigh in their last home match on 18 August. South will go into the game also having won their last three League games in a row, with the most recent result being the 3-2 win against Pascoe Vale at Lakeside Stadium last Sunday evening. Chris Taylor’s side has picked up 13 out of a possible 15 points in its last five League games, with its last defeat in the League being back on 21 July (1-4 against Bentleigh Greens).
In the corresponding fixture played between the two sides at Knights Stadium on Sunday 12 August 2012, Joe Keenan (2’) opened the scoring for South before Jake Nakic tapped home (33’) and then hit a wonder strike from outside the area (55’) to give the Knights the lead. Shaun Kelly (76’) saved South’s blushes by volleying home from a corner in an entertaining game that finished 2-2.
In the earlier derby played this year on Sunday 16 June, first half goals from Ben Surey (8’) and Shayan Alinejad (30’) gave the Knights a 1-2 lead at halftime (Brad Norton scoring South’s goal on 24 minutes) before South leveled following an own goal (62’) by Knights defender and former South player Ljubo Milicevic in a game that also finished 2-2. Milicevic will not feature for the Knights this time around, having signed for A-League side Perth Glory a few weeks ago.
Sunday’s match kicks off at 3pm at Knights Stadium.
Tuesday, 27 August 2013 10:00 PM
South Melbourne FC is excited to announce its partnership with Bob Jane T-Marts for both the 2013 and 2014 Victorian Premier League seasons.
Bob Jane T-Marts will be a Principal Partner of the Club and Major Sponsor of SMFC TV on both Channel 31 and its online portal through YouTube. The partnership will also include ground signage, scoreboard and multimedia advertising, and a number of other corporate benefits.
Over the years, the Bob Jane T-Marts brand has been closely associated with the Club, with Lakeside Stadium being known as Bob Jane Stadium between the years 1995-2011. Furthermore, Bob Jane T-Marts logo proudly featured on the back of the South playing shirt during the mid 1990s as well.
Bob Jane T-Marts has a total commitment to effectively serve the motorists of Australia with a level of service beyond their expectations, using the highest quality products and at the most competitive price. As an independent Australian business, Bob Jane T-Marts has a national network of franchised and company owned tyre retail stores, making them Australia’s largest independent tyre retailer. Together with their extensive range of tyres, they stock a broad range of wheels and reliable batteries for passenger vehicles, 4WDs, vans and light trucks. Their expert wheel alignment and wheel balancing services use the latest in computerised technology. Embracing over 45 years of experience, Bob Jane T-Marts remains the most trusted name for tyres, wheels and batteries in Australia.
SMFC General Manager Peter Kokotis told smfc.com.au “we are delighted to welcome back an iconic Australian brand to the Club. The Bob Jane T-Marts brand was synonymous with South Melbourne FC through its naming rights of its stadium when it was refurbished in the mid 1990s. We look forward to working closely with the team at Bob Jane T-Marts and ask the South Melbourne faithful to support the sponsors that are supporting our great club”.
For all media enquiries, please contact Peter Kokotis on 9645 9797.
Tuesday, 27 August 2013 10:17 AM
South Melbourne FC is delighted to announce that Nissan has made a successful return to Australian motorsport at the Winton360 race on Saturday. James Moffat, son of legendary driver Allan, and Michael Caruso cruised past the chequered flag in first and second place respectively. It marks the first win in the V8 Supercar series for Nissan in 21 years, since its last victory at the 1992 Bathurst race where Jim Richards and Mark Skaife won in a Nissan Skyline.
Nissan joined the Club as its Principal Community Program Partner for the 2013 Victorian Premier League season. As part of the partnership, Nissan provides South Melbourne FC with a number of vehicles to use as part of its operations and to continue its community engagement program.
Speaking to smfc.com.au, SMFC Corporate Sales Director Nicholas Maikousis said “we are quite excited to hear that Nissan has made a triumphant return to Australian motorsport, with its one-two finisish over the weekend at the Winton 360 race. Nissan has been a great partner for the club in assisting it with its community engagement programs. We look forward to more success for Nissan in the V8 Supercar series.”
For more on Nissan’s success, please click on the link:
http://www.v8supercars.com.au/news/historic-nissan-1-2-moffat-victorious
Monday, 26 August 2013 2:46 PM
By John Kyrou
South Melbourne FC consolidated its spot in the top five with a come-from-behind 3-2 victory against Pascoe Vale at Lakeside Stadium on Sunday evening. Goals from Nick Soolsma, Luke Hopper and Trent Rixon were enough to defeat a spirited Pascoe Vale side who had actually led 1-2 thanks to a well-taken goal from Luca Santilli and a penalty from Michael Ferrante.
South came into the match knowing that a victory would consolidate fifth spot and put it within two points of third-placed Port Melbourne. Pascoe Vale knew that a victory at Lakeside Stadium would put it nine points clear of the relegation zone with three rounds to go, although second-last Richmond has a game in hand. Having drawn 0-0 at Hosken Reserve earlier on in the season on 1 June, there was certainly a lot to play for this time around.
The home side opened the scoring after only six minutes, when Nick Epifano’s cross from the left was headed past Stefaan Sardelic by Soolsma. It was the perfect start for South and many expected them to go on and win the game comfortably, however it was the visitors who scored only minutes later when Santilli expertly headed past Peter Gavalas to make the score 1-1. Tyson Holmes knew he was in for a frustrating evening when he almost put South back into the lead with a fierce shot that hit the post before he handballed in the area and presented Pascoe Vale with the opportunity to take the lead. Michael Ferrante stepped up and coolly put his spot kick past Gavalas to give Pascoe Vale the advantage. Just as the away side was starting to look dangerous, South equalised when Soolsma played a low ball into the box for Hopper to gain control before turning his marker and firing past Sardelic to make the score 2-2. The former South goalkeeper prevented the home side from re-taking the lead just before the halftime break when he tipped Rixon’s fierce shot over his crossbar.
The game was decided early in the second half when some Soolsma magic on the right side resulted in him losing his marker before sending in an inch-perfect cross for Rixon to head past Sardelic. Rixon has now scored four goals in his last three League matches and Hopper has now scored a staggering six goals from five League matches for South. More importantly, on the day it gave South a 3-2 lead that it was to keep for the remainder of the match. Pascoe Vale went close to levelling again however the home side had done enough to win the game, as things were made even worse for Pascoe Vale when Tomi Milardovic committed a clumsy foul on Hopper before back-chatting to the referee and getting himself sent off after 88 minutes.
South’s victory keeps Chris Taylor’s side in fifth spot on 31 points and with a goal difference of +7. South are three points ahead of Green Gully (28 points, +4 goal difference plus they have a game in hand) and Hume City (28 points, -12 goal difference). South is level on points with fourth-placed Bentleigh Greens but the Greens hold fourth spot because of their superior goal difference (+12). Crucially, South are only two points behind third-placed Port Melbourne (33 points, +7 goal difference) and Bentleigh play Port Melbourne in the next round of matches. South will travel to Somers Street next Sunday for what promises to be a mouth-watering derby against the second-placed Melbourne Knights, knowing that if it defeats the Knights and Bentleigh and Port draw their match, South will end Round 20 in third spot on the ladder.
The news was not as good in the Under-21s as Pascoe Vale defeated South 0-2.
Goal Scorers:
1-0: Nick Soolsma (6′)
1-1: Luca Santilli (8′)
1-2: Michael Ferrante (18′ pk)
2-2: Luke Hopper (30′)
3-2: Trent Rixon (53′)
Key Stats (provided by Steven Orchard): Shots: South Melbourne (18) – Pascoe Vale (8)
On Target: South Melbourne (10) – Pascoe Vale (5)
Off Target: South Melbourne (8) – Pascoe Vale (3)
Turn Overs: South Melbourne (39) – Pascoe Vale (67)
Balls Into Area: South Melbourne (56) – Pascoe Vale (23)
Clearances: South Melbourne (15) – Pascoe Vale (32)
South Melbourne FC:
1. Peter GAVALAS (GK), 2. Tim MALA, 4. Bryan BRAN, 5. Nick EPIFANO, 7. Luke HOPPER, 9. Trent RIXON, 10. Tyson HOLMES (16. Alan KEARNEY 90+1′), 11. Brad NORTON (C), 13, Iqi JAWADI, 17. Nick SOOLSMA, 19. Shaun KELLY
Pascoe Vale:
1. Stefaan SARDELIC (GK), 2. Adrian TALARICO, 3. Frank SERRATORE, 4. Tomislav MILARDOVIC, 5. Ross HARVEY, 6. Robert DI VITO (20. Hernan ESPINDOLA 83′), 7. Luca SANTILLI, 8. Joseph YOUSEFF, 9. Luis COVARRUBIAS (18. Matthew LAZARIDES 64′), 15. Mark PISTININZI (16. Marco SANTILLI 90′), 21. Michael FERRANTE
SMFC Man of the Match: Nick Soolsma
Venue: Lakeside Stadium
Date: Sunday 25 August 2013
Friday, 23 August 2013 10:27 AM
By John Kyrou (Photo by Cindy Nitsos)
South Melbourne FC faces another tough Victorian Premier League match on Sunday when it hosts Pascoe Vale at Lakeside Stadium. Following its 1-0 loss to Green Gully in the State Knockout Cup semi final on Wednesday night, the sole focus now for the rest of the season is the League and qualifying for the top five finals series. With Chris Taylor’s side sitting in fifth spot on goal difference, a win on Sunday is absolutely crucial in keeping itself in the top five and maintaining winning momentum in the League.
Despite the midweek Cup exit, South has been in excellent form over the past month and has not lost a League match since the 1-4 home defeat to the Bentleigh Greens on 21 July. Since then the Club has belted in 12 goals in two home matches, with 6-2 and 6-1 wins over Dandenong Thunder and Hume City respectively. Whilst another six goals would be fantastic on Sunday, Taylor will be more than happy with a 1-0 score line and the three points. Bryan Bran, Iqi Jawadi, Tim Mala, Nick Epifano and Luke Hopper are all expected to return to the starting eleven on Sunday after being Cup-tied midweek. It will be a battle to see who gets selected as goalkeeper, as Peter Gavalas was the Man of the Match in the League game against Oakleigh last weekend but Chris Maynard also enjoyed an extremely solid Cup game against Gully. Dimi Tsiaras resumed training during the week following a nasty hamstring injury sustained against Gully in the League on 7 July but it remains to be seen whether he will be in contention for a spot in the squad.
Pascoe Vale is an opponent not to be taken lightly, with the promoted side seven points ahead of relegation danger with only four League matches remaining (although second-bottom side Richmond have a game in hand). With familiar faces such as former South players Stefaan Sardelic, Jake Vandermey and Joseph Youssef, there is no doubt that Pascoe Vale is a team capable of winning at Lakeside Stadium and dinting South’s finals aspirations. In the earlier match played between the two sides this season on 1 June at Hosken Reserve, a stubborn Pascoe Vale side held a very wasteful South to a 0-0 draw despite being a man short for over 80 minutes of the game following Luca Santilli’s early red card. Mathematically, South can finish the round as high as third with a victory but can also finish as low as seventh with a loss.
Sunday’s match kicks off at 5PM at Lakeside Stadium.