Melbourne Knights FC Official Website Melbourne Knights look to make it three wins on the trot when they host Altona Magic in NPL Victoria Round 6 action at Somers Street on Friday night.
The Knights come into Friday’s match off a pair of impressive wins over two sides who played finals football last season in Bentleigh Greens and Port Melbourne.
Mitch Hore and Ciaran Bramwell netted their first goals in Knights colours before Mohammed Sumaoro popped up with a late winner after a Port Melbourne fightback in a thrilling 3-2 away win at JL Murphy Reserve last weekend.
Saturday’s win saw Knights climb to fifth on the NPL Victoria ladder as the club looks to mark its 70th anniversary with a first finals appearance since 2015.
Knights next opponents: Altona Magic currently sit tenth on the league table and come into Friday’s clash off the back of a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Green Gully
Magic’s squad includes former Knight, Justin Micallef who made the move from Somers Street to Paisley Park in the off season while Knights new gloveman, Chris Oldfield went the other way.
Friday’s match will be the sixth NPL Victoria meeting between the two sides with Knights winning on three occasions, Magic winning once while there has been one draw.
The solitary draw between the pair took place in their most recent meeting at the back end of the 2022 season with last weekend’s match winner Mohammed Sumaoro netting Knights goal that day.
Friday’s match will also mark a milestone for two Knights players with Corey Sewell and Trevor Ssemakula in line to play their 100th and 50th NPL Victoria matches respectively.
Sewell, who returned for a second stint in red, white and blue in 2023 following three years at Bentleigh has been an integral part of the Knights back four this season.
Ssemakula enters his fourth season at the club and has developed a reputation for his ability to change a game with his up and down the right flank.
A win in Friday’s match could see Ben Cahn’s side finish the weekend as high as third on the table depending on results elsewhere.
SQUADS
Melbourne Knights FC
2. Jack Marth, 3. Josh Phelps, 4. Corey Sewell, 5. Ivan Franjic (C), 6. Anthony Duzel, 7. Mitch Hore, 8. Steve Whyte, 9. Ciaran Bramwell, 10. Gian Albano, 11. Gevaro Nepomuceno, 12. Felipe Sanchez, 13. Chris Oldfield (GK), 16. Mohammed Sumaoro, 17. Trevor Ssemakula, 18. Jack Morton, 19. Luka Kolic, 21. Matt Wiseman (GK), 27. Joseph Franjic, 33. Tomas Karlovic
Altona Magic SC
1. Zac Bowling, 3. Jamal Ali, 4. Alex Castiello, 5. Aaron Anderson, 6. Johnny Stojcevski, 7. Justin Micallef, 8. Miki Gamo, 9. Darcy Anastovski, 10. Jonas Markovski, 11. Charlie Leech, 13. Tommy Semmy, 14. Robert Harding, 15. Daniel Radenkovic, 16. Daniel Duzel, 18. Mohammed Elhawli, 20. Josh Markovski, 21. Thomas Woerndl, 22. Christian Rossi, 25. Mateus Gonzalez, 80. Cian Cuba
MATCH DETAILS
NPL Victoria 2023 – Round 6: Melbourne Knights FC v Altona Magic
Knights Stadium, Sunshine North
Friday, 24 February (7:30pm KO)