Melbourne Knights FC Official Website The Melbourne Knights will host the Eastern Lions at Somers Street, both sides looking for a much needed win.
The Knights head into the match coming of a 2-1 loss to Green Gully, after the Cavs kicked things off with a goal in the opening minutes of the match. The game remained in the same state until the final five minutes when the Cavaliers put a second into the back of the net. Against the odds, substitute Lionel Masudi scored in majestic fashion in the 89th minute; however this was not enough to keep Green Gully walking way with the three points.
The Lions travel to Somers Street after a loss, going down 4 -1 to Bentleigh Greens, whom the Knights beat in round four of the competition. Four of the five goals were scored in the first half – with three going to Bentleigh – and what would be their only goal of the match coming to the Lions in the 31st minute. Bentleigh were able to score the singular goal in the second, half taking the three points convincingly.
The Knights currently sit 7th on the NPL table, moving down one spot after last week’s result; while their opponents the Eastern lions sit second last at 14th on the NPL table, only managing 1 win and 1 draw from 8 matches so far this season.
The last time the two sides faced each other was back in May of 2021 at Somers Street, the Lions came away with the three points after a last-minute winner on that occasion. Christopher Droutsas opened the scoring for the Lions in the 20th minute. It wasn’t until the 85th minute that Gian Albano levelled things for the Knights, and in the 90th minute Ryan Losty scored the winner for the Lions.
Both sides will be looking to come away with a win, with the Knights keen to add three points to their tally to try to gain some distance from their mid table opponents.
– Ryan Schopp
Melbourne Knights FC:
Head Coach: Steve Bebic
Squad: 1- Harry Cakarun (GK), 2- Jack Marth, 3- Fuki Ishibashi, 4- Theiry Iradukunda, 5- Ayden Brice (C), 6- Anthony Duzel, 7- Atilla Ofli, 8- James McGarry, 9- Luka Celic, 10- Gian Albano, 11- Justin Micallef, 12- Andy Robertson, 14- Anthony Frangie, 16- Mohammad Sumaoro, 17- Trevor Ssemakula, 18- Jack Morton, 19- Luka Kolic, 21- Thomas Manos (GK), 23- Steve Sokol, 24- Ivan Miletic, 77- Lionel Masudi
Eastern Lions SC
Head Coach: Daniel Pusciasu
Squad: 1. Keegan Coulter (GK), 4. Will Ellis, 5- Andrew Le Page, 7- Ziggy Razuki, 8- Ryan Losty, 9- Taylan Unal, 10- Chris Drotsas, 11- Aaron Fabris, 12- Mohammed Faddal 14- Marcus Dimanche, 15- Charlie Fry, 17- Nathan Sim, 18-Kostantinos Stratomitros, 20- Lavdim Memedovski, 36- Jarrad Ross, 46- Noah Barak, 47- Giannis Georgopoulos, 48 – Alessandro Dalmiglio, 92- Ivan D’Adamo
