Category: News

In a highly anticipated clash at Knights Stadium, South Melbourne FC triumphed over Melbourne Knights with a 2-0 victory, securing their advancement to the next round of the Dockerty Cup, which also serves as the Australia Cup Qualifiers.

This fixture marked the 5th encounter in the cup between the two clubs in the last decade, setting the stage for an intense battle on the field.

The game began cautiously, with both teams adopting a measured approach typical of cup competitions. Early on, neither side posed significant threats, though Javi Lopez, South Melbourne’s goalkeeper, exhibited agility with a fantastic save to deny Gian Albano.

As the first half unfolded, South Melbourne gradually gained momentum, creating several half-chances. Despite their efforts, the teams entered halftime deadlocked at 0-0.

The second half witnessed South Melbourne coach Esteban Quintas introducing Andy Brennan to inject an attacking impetus into the team. This tactical adjustment proved fruitful as South began to assert dominance, testing Melbourne Knights’ goalkeeper, Chris Oldfield, on multiple occasions.

In the 72nd minute, South Melbourne earned a penalty following a handball inside the Knights’ penalty area. Captain Harrison Sawyer confidently stepped up and converted the spot-kick, breaking the deadlock and propelling South into the lead.

Shortly after, South nearly doubled their advantage as Nahuel Bonada found himself through on goal, only to narrowly miss the target.

The defining moment arrived when Andy Brennan, named Man of the Match, secured victory for South Melbourne. Embarking on a dazzling solo run from the halfway line, Brennan showcased his skill and finesse, evading defenders before unleashing a thunderous strike into the top corner, igniting jubilation among the South fans.

Although Brennan came agonisingly close to adding another goal with a shot that struck the upright, South Melbourne had already sealed their passage to the next round, clinching a well-deserved win over Melbourne Knights.

In a tightly contested encounter, South Melbourne maintained their undefeated streak in the league after a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Oakleigh on Friday night.

South Melbourne opted for two changes in their starting lineup, bringing in the experienced duo of Andy Brennan and Ross Archibald. However, their plans were disrupted early on when Nahuel Bonada was forced off the field due to injury following a dangerous challenge.

Despite the setback, South Melbourne started brightly, creating early opportunities that they failed to convert into goals. Goalkeeper Javi Lopez proved pivotal for South Melbourne with a crucial save to deny Oakleigh, ensuring the score remained level at half-time.

The second half continued in a similar fashion, with both teams struggling to break the deadlock. Long-range attempts from either side lacked precision, failing to trouble the opposing goalkeepers.

Ultimately, neither team could find the breakthrough, and the match ended in a stalemate. With this result, both South Melbourne and Oakleigh maintain their unbeaten records after seven rounds of the season.

Looking ahead, South Melbourne will shift their focus to the Australia Cup, where they are set to face Melbourne Knights in a highly anticipated derby at Knights Stadium on Thursday, March 28th, with kick-off scheduled for 7:30 PM.

In the opening fixture of the 2024 NPLW Victoria season, reigning champions South Melbourne demonstrated their strength with a commanding performance against Bentleigh at the iconic Lakeside Stadium.

Despite missing several key senior players, including captain Danielle Micallef, South Melbourne came out of the gates with a determined attacking mindset. The synergy between Tayla Christensen and Francesca Iermano bore fruit early on as they combined to break the deadlock. Christensen’s exquisite through ball found Iermano in a prime position, and the latter calmly slotted the ball past the Bentleigh keeper to give South Melbourne an early lead.

Building on their momentum, South Melbourne continued to assert their dominance throughout the first half. Christensen, displaying her scoring ability, extended South’s advantage with a sensational long-range effort, leaving Bentleigh trailing by two goals as the teams headed into halftime.

After the break, South Melbourne picked up right where they left off, maintaining their attacking intensity. Christensen, once again showcasing her talent, notched her second goal of the game with a powerful strike that nestled into the roof of the net, further widening the gap between the two sides.

The hosts didn’t stop there. Grace Taranto embarked on a mesmerizing run, carving through Bentleigh’s defense before supplying the ball to Bella Sewards, who marked her club debut with a goal, much to the delight of the South Melbourne faithful.

Despite Bentleigh managing to pull one back late in the game, it was merely a consolation as South Melbourne comfortably secured their first victory of the season at Lakeside Stadium. With such a convincing display, South Melbourne has set a high standard for themselves as they look to defend their NPLW Victoria title in the 2024 season.

South Melbourne came into the match against Altona Magic with Emile Peios and Cooper Halfpenny starting, two young players eager to make an impact. The match started with South Melbourne displaying their attacking power early on.

The breakthrough came when Max Mikkola capitalised on a loose ball from the Altona defence, confidently slotting it past goalkeeper Rossi to give South Melbourne a 1-0 lead. Despite dominating possession for the remainder of the first half, South Melbourne couldn’t extend their lead further, with some missed chances and impressive saves from the Altona goalkeeper keeping the score at 1-0 going into halftime.

After the break, South Melbourne continued to assert their dominance on the game. Nahuel Bonada doubled their lead with a beautifully taken finish from just inside the area. The momentum was firmly with South Melbourne as they pressed forward.

Harrison Sawyer further extended South Melbourne’s lead by converting a penalty, before Ross Archibald added his name to the scoresheet by capitalising on a loose ball following his initial header hitting the bar.

Altona Magic managed to pull one back in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to halt South Melbourne’s charge. With this victory, South Melbourne extended their unbeaten run to six games and cemented their position at the top of the table.

The next fixture promises to be a thrilling encounter as South Melbourne faces Oakleigh away on Friday night in a clash between two undefeated teams. Both sides will be eager to maintain their impressive form and secure another important victory.

In a highly anticipated Round 5 NPL Victoria Derby clash against their arch-rivals Heidelberg United, South Melbourne FC showcased a strong lineup with the return of experienced players Javi Lopez and Andy Brennan, bolstering their squad with much-needed experience.

There was plenty of Blue and White in the stands, adding to the electric atmosphere of the match.

South Melbourne FC wasted no time asserting their dominance as they took an early lead courtesy of Harrison Sawyer, who expertly capitalised on a precise pass from Andy Brennan from the right flank.

However, Heidelberg United responded with a moment of brilliance from Joshua Pin, equalising the score just over the 20-minute mark with a stunning long range bomb that left Javi Lopez unable to intervene.

South could have gone into the break in front, where Nahuel Bonada found himself with a chance but his diving header narrowly missed the target.

As the game progressed into the second half, South Melbourne FC had several opportunities to clinch the victory.

Max Mikkola came agonisingly close to putting South Melbourne ahead with a glancing header that struck the crossbar. Mario Barcia also tested the Heidelberg keeper with a powerful long-range effort following some excellent build-up play by Cooper Halfpenny.

Despite a late attempt by Heidelberg’s Josh Pin, who was denied by a brilliant save from Javi Lopez, neither side could break the deadlock. The match ultimately ended in a hard-fought draw, with both teams remaining undefeated after Round 5.

The result ensured that both teams earned a well-deserved point in what was an enthralling encounter between two fierce rivals.

In an electrifying encounter at Petty’s Reserve, South Melbourne emerged victorious in a scintillating battle against Manningham. This marked the first-ever meeting between the two sides in senior football, with Manningham entering as a newly promoted side from NPL 2.

The match kicked off with South Melbourne initially struggling to find their rhythm, allowing Manningham to seize an early advantage. Ben Everson capitalised on a deflection off the post to put Manningham ahead 1-0. The home crowd erupted as Everson produced a moment of brilliance, lobbing the goalkeeper from nearly halfway to extend Manningham’s lead to 2-0.

However, South Melbourne quickly rallied, demonstrating their resilience and determination. Harrison Sawyer initiated the comeback, narrowing the deficit with a well-taken goal. Just before halftime, Nahuel Bonada found the back of the net, levelling the score and injecting renewed energy into the South camp.

Sawyer continued his heroics, rising to the occasion once again with a crucial goal moments before halftime, propelling South Melbourne into an unexpected lead at the break.

The second half belonged entirely to South Melbourne, as they showcased a dominant performance, relentlessly peppering Manningham’s goal with nearly 30 opportunities. Harrison Sawyer completed his hat-trick in style heading in a cross from Marco Jankovic, while Jordon Lampard marked his debut for the club with a clinical finish at the near post, sealing a comprehensive 5-2 victory on the road.

With this impressive win, South Melbourne extended their undefeated streak to four matches at the start of the season, sending a clear message of intent to their rivals.

South Melbourne kicked off their season with a strong performance, despite an early setback when a goal was controversially disallowed despite protests from South players that the ball had crossed the line. Nonetheless, they quickly bounced back as Sawyer capitalised on a loose ball from a Mikkola throw-in, giving South Melbourne a 1-0 lead over the Knights.

The match saw the starting debut of several new faces including Nahuel Bonada, Mario Barcia, Jordon Lampard, and Ross Archibald, with Harrison Sawyer leading the team as captain for the first time since his return to the club.

South Melbourne dominated the first half, creating numerous scoring opportunities and heading into halftime with a deserved 1-0 lead.

The second half proved to be a tighter affair, with both teams testing each other’s defences. Javi Lopez and Chris Oldfield, the respective goalkeepers, were called into action multiple times but both stood firm to deny any further goals.

Despite South Melbourne’s dominance, their best chance of the half fell to Bonada, who was unable to beat Oldfield with a low shot.

In his post-match reflection, Coach Esteban Quintas praised the team’s resilience and ability to see out the result, stating, “We showed plenty of fight and were able to close out the match when needed. I am encouraged by the start and we are looking to build on this performance in the coming weeks.”

South Melbourne’s next challenge will be against Moreland City on Saturday at CB Smith Reserve.

South Melbourne FC is excited to confirm it will be returning to the national stage of Australian football in 2025.

Earlier today Football Australia announced South Melbourne FC as one of the Foundation clubs in the National Second Tier to commence in early 2025.

Club President Nicholas Maikousis said “this has been a long time coming for the South Melbourne family. When national football returns to the shores of Albert Park Lake in March 2025, it will mark the end of two decades of this journey. “

“We have celebrated success in Victoria, but it is time for us to return to our rightful place on the national stage. Our members and supporters expect us to be competing at this level and I’m proud we have reached the point where the current and next generation of South fans can experience it with their family and friends. ”

“Over the last year in particular a small but dedicated group of individuals have been working tirelessly behind the scenes in collaboration with Football Australia to get us to this point. I’d like to acknowledge their efforts together with our board, staff, sponsors and other stakeholders. In particular I’d like to single out the unwavering support of our major sponsor Paul Chiodo of CF Capital.”

“The club will continue its work with Football Australia on the operational details of the new National Second Tier over the coming months. We will continue to share information about the new competition with our members and supporters as it becomes available”.

“Today’s announcement represents the renaissance of a great and historic club. We look forward to celebrating with the entire South Melbourne FC community” Maikousis said.

South Melbourne FC is thrilled to announce the signing of fan favourite Harrison Sawyer ahead of the 2024 NPL Victoria season.

Harrison returned home after an incredibly successful stint in Finland where he was a huge part of Vaasan Palloseura’ 17 game unbeaten streak. The unbeaten run was the catalyst behind Vaasan reaching next season’s European competitions.

In his time with South Melbourne prior, Sawyer was regarded as the premier forward in the NPL after capturing the 2022 Golden Boot and leading the club to the Premiership. Overall he scored 24 times in 42 games with the club.

With a new look squad set to be unveiled alongside Harrison, we cannot wait to see the big forward go another level in blue and white this year.

Welcome home, Harrison.

South Melbourne FC is delighted to announce that Esteban Quintas will continue to serve as the Senior Coach for the 2024 season.

Over the past two NPL seasons, Quintas has led the club to 41 league wins out of 52 competitive matches which also includes consecutive Grand Final appearances and capturing the 2022 Premiers Plate for finishing on top of the table.

With the strategic addition of key personnel for the upcoming 2024 season both on and off the park, we are looking forward to another strong campaign under Quintas.

As part of the restructuring of our Senior Football Department, Esteban Quintas will be joined by Agim Sherifovski, a former South player, who returns as our Senior Assistant Coach. Sherifovski brings a wealth of experience from a distinguished career at both National and Victorian levels, as well as also having contributed significantly to both Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City in recent years at senior and youth levels as a coach.

South Melbourne FC is confident that the combined coaching prowess of Quintas and the seasoned Sherifovski will be instrumental in shaping the team’s success.