South Melbourne FC has finally landed the cup tie it’s been wishing for all along in its FFA Cup journey this season.
As the last remaining member Federation club in the competition, South has drawn current A-League champions Sydney FC in this year’s FFA Cup semi-final to be staged at Lakeside in mid –October. South, which has never before faced A-League opposition in the Cup, will now get the chance to test itself against the best in the land and showcase its home stadium and facilities.
South made it to the semi in impressive style by blitzing Gold Coast City 6-0 at Cbus stadium on Wednesday evening. South made a flying start scoring twice in the opening 10 minutes through striker Milos Lujic and midfielder Matt Millar. The visitors never looked back with Jesse Daley adding a well taken third goal in the 37th minute. Lujic and Millar went on to score a second goal each in the second half, and sandwiched in between was a goal to Stefan Zinni.
With the semi-final scheduled for mid-October, coming as it does just after the opening of the A-League season, long after South has played its last competitive match in Victoria, coach Chris Taylor and his staff face a challenge of trying to get the team match fit.
“We’ll monitor it the right way but that’s where it becomes difficult for the semi-pro clubs,” Taylor said speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald.
“It will mean that over seven weeks we’ll have played one competitive game.
“There’s no other teams out there other than A-League teams and they’ve got their programs pretty much together now.
“We can’t just go up and ask for a game next week.”
Complicating matters will be Taylor’s absence for three weeks as he goes on a family holiday overseas. Taylor’s assistants will look after the squad until he returns before the semi.
Whilst South prepares for an FFA Cup semi-final in October, its old rival Heidelberg United faces its own semi-final today, when it hosts NSW NPL premier Apia Leichjardt in the National NPL semi-final. Heidelberg will be attempting to become the first Victorian team to make the final of the end of season competition, to be played next week against the winner of the other semi between Edgeworth Eagles and Brisbane strikers.
The Bergers made the semi-final after defeating Perth club Bayswater City 3-1 last week in extra time. Kenny Athiu scored a brace and Sean Ellis also scored for the visitors.
Today’s semi-final action kicks off at 1.00 pm at Olympic Village.