South Melbourne FC

Category: News

  • Senior Women return to winning form

    Senior Women return to winning form

    Senior Women return to winning form

    South Melbourne FC’s senior women returned to winning form with a significant victory over FC Bulleen Lions on Monday evening.

    A sizeable crowd ventured to the Veneto Club in what was a replay of the NPLW Victoria 2018 Grand Final. Looking to reverse the result not just of that fixture but also the previous weekend’s loss to Calder United, the girls went into the match with a renewed focus on team structure.

    Coach Mick Gallo made a number of changes to the squad including Natalie Martineau being an omission due to injury and new club signing Adriana Jones making her debut.

    The match itself was very evenly poised between the squads with both teams having opportunities to score. Goalkeeper and Player of the Week Erin Hudson came up with some amazing saves to prevent Bulleen from going ahead. It took until the last fifteen minutes for the game to really open up. As both teams moved more fluidly on the counter attack, space opened up and South was the one to capaitalise.

    Breaking through the midfield, Sofia Sakalis slid the ball through the back four to allow Kelsey Minton to make a run down the right flank and deep into the area. Drawing the two defenders, she cut the ball back to Sarah Richardson, who with a sly side-foot centred the ball back to Sakalis. Finishing what she started, Sofia’s left foot buried the ball into the back of the net to give South a 1-0 lead in the 82nd minute.

    That score would remain as South recorded a second win of the season, positioning themselves in third place on the NPLW ladder.

    The team travels to the Knox Regional Football Centre on Sunday to face the Senior NTC. This fixture marks the start of a very busy seven days for the team, which will feature three matches. After the Senior NTC they are back at Knox on Wednesday night to play Alamein and then travel to Stead Park next Saturday to take on Geelong Galaxy United.

    FINAL SCORE: BULLEEN LIONS 0-1 SOUTH MELBOURNE (HT: 0-0)

    Goal:
    0-1: Sofia Sakalis (82′)

    Bulleen Lions:
    1. E Shields (GK), 2. T Sernio (9. L Privitelli 74′), 6. C Friend, 7. C Ferreyra Bas (16. K Zafiridis 86′), 8. A Natoli, 11. M Camilleri, 14. K Hall, 17. F Iermano, 18. S Cain, 20. K Morrison, 22. E Dolzan
    Unused Substitutes: 12. L Iaconis, 13. H Richardson, 24. K Fotopoulos
    Yellow Cards: Nil

    South Melbourne:
    1. Erin Hudson (GK), 5. Aimee Medwin, 6. Cindy Lay (2. Leah Scroggie 89′), 7. Chelsea Blisset, 8. Sofia Sakalis, 9. Kelsey Minton (4. Emily Rayment 95′), 10. Adriana Jones (38. Giulia Mazzeo 69′), 11. Jamie Pollock, 17. Alex Gummer, 30. Leia Varley, 24. Skye Jensen (3. Sarah Richardson 59′)
    Unused Substitutes: 18. Kelsey Quinn.
    Yellow Cards: Nil

  • South fall short at Avenger Park

    South fall short at Avenger Park

    South Melbourne’s winning run came to a sudden halt on Saturday, with a disappointing result away to Avondale FC.

    Avondale, who had won the previous five fixtures against South, got off to a strong start, scoring the opener just three minutes in. After South cleared the initial corner, the ball was whipped back into the box for Yitay Towns to score with a looping header.

    South’s response to falling behind early was brilliant, with the players pushing forward and carving out several good opportunities.

    Nick Krousoratis once again looked threatening and fired narrowly wide from the edge of the box in the 6th minute. Shortly after, in the 16th, Marcus Schroen played a stunning pass into the stride of Pep Marafioti, but once again, he fired just wide of the post.

    As the half wore on, Avondale midfielder Tasuku Sekiya stood out as the danger man. The Japanese playmaker began to exert his class into the game and looked a constant threat.

    The match was put to bed with a quick one-two punch before half time.\

    In the 31st minute Stefan Zinni cut in from the left wing and fired low past Nikola Roganovic, then, just minutes later in the 34th, Liam Boland headed home from a set piece.

    Despite being down 3-0 at the half, South Melbourne started positively in the second stanza. George Howard had a great opportunity to pull one back just 15 seconds into the half, but his header was well saved by the keeper.

    Marafioti and Howard combined several times to trouble the Avondale defence but, in the end, the breakthrough eluded South.

    Avondale managed to find their fourth and final goal in the 62nd minute when Zinni cut in off the left wing to draw a penalty from South’s centre back. Despite Jake Marshall standing his ground, the winger made the most of the contact, which allowed Liam Boland to score his second from the penalty spot.

    Overall a disappointing result for South, who slip to 8th. The team continues on the road next week and will be eager to bounce back in the Monday night clash against Kingston City.

     

  • South aim for three in a row away to Avondale

    South aim for three in a row away to Avondale

    South Melbourne FC hit the road for the third time in four weeks this Saturday, with a mouth-watering Saturday afternoon fixture against Avondale FC

    Avondale narrowly lost last year’s final to Heidelberg and look like genuine title contenders again in 2019. The ‘Avengers’ have come out of the blocks, emphatically winning their first three games to sit equal top of the table.

    Similarly, South have started the season strongly by redeeming their opening day loss with back to back victories over Dandenong City and Port Melbourne. The triumph away to Port was particularly inspirational, with South claiming the derby day points in the dying stages of the game.

    Both teams will go into the game high on confidence but Con Tangalakis will be wary of the recent contests between the sides. Avondale has won the last five meetings between the teams and prevailed 6-2 in the reverse fixture last season.

    Although recent fixtures don’t read well, history will count for nothing on Saturday. South’s new look squad looks to have already formed a tight bond and performances will give fans optimism about the season ahead.

    The game will have huge implications at the top of the table, South Melbourne FC urges fans to get out in force and support the squad!

    Thanks to Football Victoria’s game-changing new broadcasting deal, ALL senior NPL games will be broadcast and streamed LIVE. If you are unable to support the team in person, more information about how to watch can be found here.

    FORM GUIDE

    SMFC

    Port Melbourne    1-2    South Melbourne
    South Melbourne 1-0    Dandenong City
    Bentleigh                3-1     South Melbourne

    AVONDALE

    Avondale FC        2-1    Kingston City
    Avondale FC        1-0    Port Melbourne
    Dandenong City  1-4    Avondale FC

    Match details
    Avondale FC vs South Melbourne FC
    Saturday 9 March @ Avenger Park (476 Brunswick Rd, Parkville)
    Kick-off 3.15pm

  • South prevail in local derby

    South prevail in local derby

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]There was late drama at SS Anderson Reserve, as South Melbourne FC dug deep to claim local bragging rights by recording an inspirational 2-1 victory over Port Melbourne.

    The game was full of wild momentum swings, with the players given extra drinks breaks to cope with the stifling heat, which was hovering around 35 oC at the 6PM kick-off time.

    The Sharks have dominated recent fixtures between the teams by winning 3 of the last 4 encounters, but it was South who seized control early, dictating possession and probing for openings.

    The breakthrough came in the 22nd minute with the first clear-cut chance of the game. South captain Brad Norton surged forward on the left, before sliding the ball into the path of the overlapping Nick Krousoratis. The dynamic number 12 rolled a cross onto the edge of the six-yard box for Giusseppe Marafioti to lash home.

    The goal sparked South Melbourne into life. The advantage was almost doubled only minutes later, when George Howard headed narrowly wide from a corner kick.

    The momentum shifted towards the end of the first half. Port worked into the game and forced South Melbourne to defend deeper and deeper as the half wore on.

    The Sharks got their reward in the 43rd minute when after a pabuild-upild up, striker Sam Ford turned his defender before striking powerfully into the top right corner.

    The momentum was well and truly with Port and this carried into the second half. Perry Lambropoulos put in a titanic shift as right back to stem the constant pressure, while keeper Nikola Roganovic stood up strong to deny Port on several occasions.

    As the players edged towards the second drink break, the introduction of Marcus Schroen injected life into South Melbourne’s tiring midfield.

    South almost took the lead in the 69th minute with what would have been an early contender for goal of the season. Krousoratis cut in off the left wing and unleashed a 25-yard screamer which rattled the cross-bar.

    The moment of magic came in the 85th minute through unlikely hero Luke Adams. After Port failed to clear a corner, Brad Norton hung up a cross to the penalty spot for South’s centre back to chest down and half volley into the top corner.

    It was a moment that any world class striker would have been proud of and was followed with wild celebrations on the South bench.

    The win leaves South in seventh on the table, but only three points separate them from the league leaders.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”17939″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Match Preview – South travel to Port for local derby

    Match Preview – South travel to Port for local derby

    South Melbourne FC travel to Port Melbourne this Saturday, chasing back to back wins in what will be a scorching early evening clash. The game will test the conditioning of both teams, as the mercury is expected to be sitting at a sweltering 35°C for the 6PM kick off.

    The two teams go into battle being separated by only two places on the ladder and both will be hungry to keep within touching distance of the league leaders.

    South Melbourne catapulted up to 6th last weekend, overcoming Dandenong City 1-0 in a tight contest. Con Tangalakis will be encouraged by the early season form of his squad, particularly as the team has seen significant changes over the offseason. Eight players have debuted over the first two rounds and another positive performance will do wonders for team cohesion.

    On the other hand, despite sitting in 8th place, Port Melbourne has struggled to fire in 2019. Port commenced the season with a first round 0-0 draw at home to Kingston, which was followed by a 1-0 defeat to Avondale FC.

    The Sharks have picked up a solitary point and are yet to score in their opening fixtures, a worrying stat which they will be desperate to break.

    Recently, South have had their own alarming trend which the coaching and playing staff will be eager to address. In the last four clashes between the teams, South Melbourne have only won once and have received three red cards.

    South will be hoping their early season momentum will help buck the trend against Port Melbourne and to bag another three points.

    Thanks to Football Victoria’s game-changing new broadcasting deal, ALL senior NPL games will be broadcast and streamed LIVE. If you are unable to support the team in person, more information about how to watch can be found here.

    Match details
    Port Melbourne Sharks vs South Melbourne FC
    Saturday 2 March @ JL Murphy Reserve
    Kick off 6.00pm

  • Daniel Girardi appointed as SMFC Technical Director

    Daniel Girardi appointed as SMFC Technical Director

    Daniel Girardi appointed as SMFC Technical Director

    South Melbourne FC is pleased to announce the appointment of Daniel Girardi as the club Technical Director.

    Girardi joined the club in October 2018 as Sporting Director to lead the youth program under the guidance of Head of Football Development, Michael Valkanis. Daniel will continue in this capacity and he now takes on the Technical Director role for our boys.

    Daniel started playing at a young age in the juniors at Adelaide Blue Eagles where he rose through the ranks to feature in the the clubs senior team. He maintained his links to the club after his playing days serving as the Youth Technical Director for a number of years.

    The AFC B Licence holder was recognised for his football knowledge, accumen and technical capability joining former South Melbourne player and Socceroo Michael Valkanis at Adelaide United FC. At the time Valkanis was the Head Coach of the youth program at United and Girardi worked for three years as Scout and Assistant Coach. The youth program under Valkanis at United has be acknowledged as one of the most productive in Australia in recent years with some twenty-seven players having gone through the program and progressed to senior A-League football.

    Football Director Andrew Mesourouni spoke to smfc.com.au saying “I am pleased to be able to announce Daniel as our Technical Director. Daniel is implementing a new approach to our youth development program with Michael Valkanis and together they are leading the club in a new direction to facilitate the latest evolution of us producing the country’s next crop of talented players.”

    Girardi replaces outgoing Technical Director Strati Xynas who, after serving the club for three years, resigned in December 2018 to pursue his football career overseas. We wish Strati the best with his future endeavours and welcome Daniel to the role.

  • South get first three points of season with win over Dandenong City

    South get first three points of season with win over Dandenong City

    South Melbourne FC earnt their first three points of season 2019, grinding out a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Dandenong City at Lakeside Stadium.

    Both teams were hungry to bounce back from round 1 defeats and it was the home side who controlled the early possession. South should have broken the deadlock in the 4th minute when Krousoratis whipped in a low cross from the right flank to find Howard, but his close-range effort was comfortably saved.

    South struggled to find attacking rhythm but held a solid defensive shape led by Luke Adams and Jake Marshall, who made several strong interceptions to prevent Dandenong from working into dangerous areas.

    South had a penalty shout waved away in the 26th minute for a potential handball before the game turned on its head in the 35th. An incident behind play led to a straight red card for Dandenong defender James Kelly.

    Dandenong were almost made to pay on the stroke of half time when Gerrie Sylaidos slipped a lovely reverse ball into the channel for Krousoratis, who’s low drive across goal cracked the inside of the post.

    The theme continued in the second half, South Melbourne probing for openings against a well drilled Dandenong unit. Con Tangalakis looked to the bench for inspiration and by the 68th minute, all three substitutes were used. Marcus Schroen joined the fray along with debutants Zac Bates and Billy Konstantinidis.

    The breakthrough finally came in 79th minute through dynamic youngster Gerrie Sylaidos after Dandenong scrambled away a corner. Sylaidos, who found the ball on the right edge of the 18-yard box, danced around a defender and powered a shot through bodies into the bottom left corner.

    New number 9 Billy Konstantinidis almost doubled the lead just minutes later but was denied by the keeper as South looked to of finally found their groove.

    Ten-man Dandenong City almost spoilt the party in the 88th minute as a long ball was flicked onto the dangerous Piemonte who found himself through on goal but was denied by Roganovic.

    A massive three points for South Melbourne who now move into mid-table. The club will travel to Port Melbourne next Saturday full of confidence in search of back to back wins.

    FINAL SCORE: SOUTH MELBOURNE 1-0 DANDENONG CITY (HT: 0-0)

    Goal Scorer:
    1-0: Gerrie Sylaidos (79′)

    South Melbourne:
    1. Nikola Roganovic (GK) / 2. Perry Lambropoulos, 4. Luke Adams, 5. Jake Marshall, 11. Brad Norton (c) / 8. Dean Bereveskos, 17. Ethan Gage (10. Marcus Schroen 62′) / 12. Nick Krousoratis, 45. Gerrie Sylaidos, 7. Giuseppe Marafioti (20. Zac Bates 62′) / 14. George Howard (9. Billy Konstantinidis 68′).
    Unused Subs: 3. Kristian Konstantinidis, 23. Amir Jashari (GK).
    Yellow Cards: Norton 40′, Gage 56′.
    Coach: Con Tangalakis.

    Dandenong City:
    16. Kile Kennedy (GK), 3. Iqi Jawadi (20. Anthony Poljak 86′), 7. Shayan Alinejad, 8. Zac Thompson, 12. Shaun Filipovic (c) (9. Brayden Mann 59′), 17. Liam McCormick (10. Anthony Theo 56′), 19. James Kelly (sent off 36′), 23. Dean Piemonte, 26. Mark Ochieng, 36. Steven Topalovic, 55. Petar Franjic.
    Unused Subs: 1. Alex Connell (GK), 13. Greg Lombardo.
    Yellow Cards: Thompson 29′, Alinejad 32′, Mann 65′, Jawadi 75′, Topalovic 89′.
    Coach: Zeljko Kuzman.

  • Match Preview – South returns to Lakeside this Friday

    Match Preview – South returns to Lakeside this Friday

    NPL returns to Lakeside Stadium this Friday as South Melbourne FC go head to head with newly promoted Dandenong City this Friday night.

    The two teams famously clashed during the 2017 FFA Cup in one of the most exciting games of recent history. After falling behind 4-1 deep into the second half South staged a miraculous comeback to win 5-4, with a 97th minute penalty causing pandemonium in the stands of Lakeside Stadium.

    Dandenong City has reached the top tier of state football for the first time in their proud history, but the party of was short lived as they lost to a rampant Avondale FC 4-1 in the first round.

    South Melbourne is similarly coming off a loss, falling 3-1 away to Bentleigh Greens in a match that could have swung either way. South will continue to improve as the new look squad gels together, with five new signings having already debuted last week in the blue and white.

    South fans will be extremely encouraged by the performances of the new contingent. Nick Krousoratis and Gerrie Sylaidos, in particular, stood out as livewires and will look to expose the Dandenong City defence.

    The club hopes for an electric atmosphere at Lakeside Friday night so please come down and support the team get off the mark for season 2019.

    Memberships and merchandise can be purchased and collected from the Futsal Entrance at Lakeside Stadium. We urge all fans to arrive early to avoid the long waiting lines.

    Match details
    South Melbourne FC vs Dandenong City SC
    Friday 22 Feb @ Lakeside Stadium
    Kick off 8.30pm (Under 20s and 6.15pm)

  • South unlucky as Bentleigh take the points

    South unlucky as Bentleigh take the points

    A new look South Melbourne FC kicked off 2019 with a strong performance despite ultimately falling 3-1 to Bentleigh Greens in a back and forth contest at Kingston Heath.

    Perfect late Summer conditions greeted the teams for the round 1 blockbuster and after a cagey start, Bentleigh drew first blood with their opening attempt of the game. A fortunate break in the midfield saw the ball played out wide to Yuel, whose low cross found Barresi to slot home in the 9th minute.

    Chances were few and far between for both sides but South rallied with debutant Gerrie Sylaidos firing narrowly wide. The 2018 NPL Rising Star continued to impress, stripping the Bentleigh midfield and releasing Nick Krousoratis on the right wing who surged forward before equalizing with a powerful low finish in the 23rd minute. South continued to look threatening on the break, particularly down the right flank through Pepe Marafioti before Kostas Stratomitros was forced from the field with injury shortly before the half time whistle.

    South began the second half on the front foot with the midfield looking composed in possession and goal scorer Krousoratis terrorizing the Bentleigh defence with some explosive attacking runs. Despite the positive signs, Bentleigh once again took the lead against the run of play with Yuel tapping home from close range in the 70th minute after another low cross. The goal didn’t change the momentum of the game, South continued to press forward and came agonizingly close to finding an equalizer on several occasions, most notably with Sylaidos and substitute Marcus Schroen both being denied by acrobatic saves.

    Ultimately legs began to fade and as the game stretched Bentleigh speedster Yuel doubled his tally with a smart finish on the counter-attack, sealing the game for the Greens deep in injury time.

    The 3-1 scoreline flattered the home side in the end as South Melbourne left frustrated not to have picked up at least a point. The overall performance had plenty of positives though and Con Tangalakis will feel optimistic about the team’s chances for next Friday night’s game against Dandenong City.

    FINAL SCORE: BENTLEIGH GREENS 3-1 SOUTH MELBOURNE (HT: 1-1)

    Goal Scorers:
    1-0: Joshua Barresi (9′)
    1-1: Nick Krousoratis (23′)
    2-1: Valentino Yuel (70′)
    3-1: Valentino Yuel (90+4′)

    Bentleigh Greens:
    1. Ryan Scott (GK), 2. Matthew Crooks (4. Charles Fry 88′), 3. Jacob Alexander, 5. Jack Webster (c), 7. Joshua Barresi (11. James Xydias 83′), 8. George Lambadaridis, 10. Tyson Holmes, 14. Marco Jankovic, 15. Valentino Yuel, 18. Matthew Thurtell, 23. Velibor Mitrovic (17. Arnold Suew 62′).
    Unused Subs:  6. Brody Taylor,  20. Nathan Coe (GK).
    Yellow Cards: Holmes 57′.
    Coach: John Anastasiadis.

    South Melbourne FC:
    1. Nikola Roganovic (GK) / 2. Perry Lambropoulos, 5. Jake Marshall, 4. Luke Adams, 11. Brad Norton (c) / 18. Kosta Stratomitros (8. Dean Bereveskos 35′), 17. Ethan Gage / 12. Nick Krousoratis, 45. Gerrie Sylaidos, 7. Pepe Marafioti (10. Marcus Schroen 72′) / 14. George Howard (13. Giordano Marafioti 62′).
    Unused Subs: 3. Kristian Konstantinidis, 23. Amir Jashari (GK).
    Yellow Cards: Roganovic 61′, G Marafioti 68′, Lambropoulos 80′.
    Coach: Con Tangalakis

  • Match Preview: Friday night lights as Bentleigh host South

    Match Preview: Friday night lights as Bentleigh host South

    South Melbourne FC kicks off an exciting 2019 NPL campaign with a blockbuster away clash against Bentleigh Greens this Friday.

    The visit to Kingston Heath follows an action-packed pre-season for South after the permanent appointment of coach Con Tangalakis at the end of 2018. Tangalakis guided the club to safety during a challenging season and has made extensive changes to rejuvenate both the coaching and playing groups.

    Despite some emotional farewells, the mood at Lakeside Stadium is full of positivity. The strong results in preseason were capped off with the deadline-day acquisition of dynamic striker, Billy Konstantinidis. The new number 9 has had an extensive career abroad, predominately in Greece. He joins a raft of other signings brought in to bolster an already talented squad which won its last friendly 2-0 away to West Adelaide.

    South Melbourne faces a tough test away to the Bentleigh Greens who will be brimming with confidence after tasting silverware last Thursday. The Greens seized the Community Shield with a commanding 2-0 victory over rivals Heidelberg and will be hungry to hit the ground running in 2019. Like South Melbourne, Bentleigh has recruited heavily during the offseason and fans of the club will be hopeful they can go one better than last season, when they narrowly missed out on an NPL grand final berth.

    A huge three points are up for grabs this Friday and the club urges all South fans to get down as we kickstart the 2019 NPL campaign.

    Match details
    Bentleigh Greens vs South Melbourne FC
    Friday 15 Feb @ Kingston Heath
    Kick off 8.15pm

Privacy Preference Center

Privacy Preferences