Melbourne Victory advanced to the next stage of the Hahn Australia Cup on Sunday evening, defeating Kingborough Lions United 4-0 in the Round of 32. This match marked the Lions' first appearance in the tournament.

Match Overview

Under the guidance of interim head coach Andrew Durante, while A-League Men’s Head Coach Giovanni Savarese awaits approval for his U.S. pro licence, Victory delivered a solid performance against their NPL Tasmania opponents at Kitchen Centre Park. The match drew a crowd of 2,875, which included enthusiastic travelling fans and former player Bruno Fornaroli, who participated in a pre-match meet and greet.

Victory took control early in the match, with first-half goals from Philipp Ziereis and Matthew Grimaldi establishing a strong lead. The team continued to dominate in the second half, adding two more goals from Santos and Jelacic, securing their place in the Round of 16 draw scheduled for Thursday.

Team Selection

In a lineup similar to their previous match against Caroline Springs George Cross, Ziereis was the only new starter. He partnered with Jason Davidson in defense, with Davidson serving as captain. Jack Duncan was selected as the goalkeeper. Recent signings Tom Lockyer, Harry Sawyer, and Harry Shillington, along with Mikey Ghossaini and Jack Mihailidis, who recently signed their first A-League contracts, were available as substitutes. Notably, Denis Genreau was sidelined due to a viral infection, and Nishan Velupillay was unavailable following his post-World Cup leave.

Key Moments

The match began with an early goal from Ziereis, who capitalized on a corner delivered by Grimaldi. Davidson assisted by heading the ball back into the danger area, allowing Ziereis to score from close range. Following this, Kingborough attempted to respond, but their efforts, including a header from Eli Luttmer and a long-range shot from Greg Downes, failed to find the target. Victory soon doubled their lead when Grimaldi scored again, finishing a cutback from D’Arrigo after a well-placed pass from Joshua Inserra.

As the second half commenced, Santos proved to be a dynamic presence, and his efforts contributed to Victory's commanding performance. The team’s strong showing ensured their progression in the cup competition.