In a big day for Greek football fans in Victoria, the two of the smaller VPL clubs, both Greek sponsored, will cherish their first ever Grand Final at AAMI Park today.
Bentleigh Greens and Northcote City will be chasing the VPL title, in what is expected to be a thrilling climax to the exciting 2013 Victorian Premier League season.
On their road to the Grand Final, Bentleigh Greens won Melbourne Knights in a qualifying final (4-2), and triumphed when it met minor premier Northcote City in major semi-final (2-1).
After loosing from Greens in extra time of major semi final, Northcote City ‘returned’ to the game with a style, with magnificent 5-0 victory to South Melbourne in last weekend’s preliminary final.
John Anastasiadis’ side from Bentleigh will enter the eagerly anticipated Grand Final with four-game winning streak behind them and an advantage of having a week off.
Even though the Northcote’s side form has been discussed many times during the second half of the 2013 season, the Hercules Boys put on a flattering performance in a game with South Melbourne, that can only give them the boost of confidence they need before they take it to the Grand Final.
The week Football Federation Victoria (FFV) and Melbourne Heart FC launched the 2013 Victorian Premier League Grand Final at AAMI Park, alongside Bentleigh Greens and Northcote City coaches, John Anastasiadis and Goran Lozanovski, and star players from both teams.
During the press conference, Bentleigh coach John Anastasiadis said he was surprised at the enormity of the result from the preliminary final, but not with the team that won.
“Northcote has been very consistent and they have been the best team throughout the year,” he said.
Opposing coach, Goran Lozanovski, admitted that ‘hurting the team early in the game and continuing with the pressure’ has been one of the main Northcote strengths this season.
Both coaches will have almost a full list to choose from, having only one injury each. Missing the Grand Final will be Bentleigh central midfielder Luke O’ Dea, and possibly Northcote City attacking midfielder Dean Piemonte, who has been struggling over the past four weeks with his ankle injury.
With Ryan De Vries, David Stirton and star striker Luke Sherbon, Bentleigh has built up a reputation of a very attacking side that generates many scoring opportunities.
“We know they are a good side but if we can throw them off their game plan, we have the work ethic and the team unity to overcome them,” Lozanovski said.
A disciplined side in their defensive duties, Northcote City conceded the least goals of any team this season.
“It’s about playing through midfield and trying to play football and we’ve played some great stuff this year,” their coach said.
Bentleigh coach John Anastasiadis is aware of a tough game in front of his boys, when they meet with the ‘leader of the ladder’ throughout the whole season, but gave a prediction of his team wining ‘by the odd goal’.
FFV CEO, Mitchell Murphy said that fans could expect an entertaining encounter between Bentleigh and Northcote.
“If the semi-final is any indication, this is going to be a cracking game and a very, very hard-fought contest,” Murphy said.
The 2013 VPL Grand Final between Bentleigh Greens and Northcote City will kick off at 1.00 pm today, at AAMI Park. The match will be a curtain-raiser to Melbourne Heart’s first home match of the 2013/2014 Hyundai A-League season, against Central Coast Mariners at 5.30 pm.
The VPL Grand Final will be streamed live on the Football Federation Victoria YouTube channel.
