Melbourne Victory will face Kingborough Lions United in the 32nd round of the Australian Khan Cup.
Preparations for the regular season, which includes the Isuzu UTE A-League and AFC Champions League Two competitions, are taken up a notch when the two-time winners head to Kitchen Center Park on Sunday 26 July, kick-off 5pm AEST, to take on the newcomers.
The match, which will be available to watch live on Paramount+, will mark the first competitive appearance of Men’s A-League head coach Giovanni Savarese as he completes his first two weeks on the pitch in Australia.
He oversaw friendly success last week against Victorian NPL rivals Caroline Springs George Cross and now prepares to face Tasmanian side Kingborough, who qualified by winning the Milan Lakosellac Cup, a statewide knockout tournament.
Boys in blue
Former Portland Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese isn’t the only new face at Melbourne Victory, with the club strengthening its men’s A-League squad in the early weeks of pre-season, dipping into the transfer market and promoting from within.
Domestic counterparts added power forward Harry Sawyer and versatile defender Harry Shillington to the ranks, while additional back-row reinforcements were caught in a wider net. Experienced German center back Philipp Ziereis has joined from SpVgg Greuther Furth, while 16-time Wales international Tom Lockyer has swapped the AFL for a new challenge in Australia.
Closer to home, senior academy stars Mikey Gossaini, William Kangney, Jack Michailidis and Malik Olukhale have signed their first A-League contracts, while Jack Duncan, Brendan Hamill, Charles Nduka and Jack Warshawski have agreed contract extensions, with Franco Lino returning on loan from parent club Viking.
Strengthening the squad is certainly no vanity project for Victory, who will be battling on three fronts this season and, following the release of ALM fixtures last week, are expected to reveal their AFC Champions League second group stage opponents next month.
1/16 finals Louis D’ARRIGO, Jason DAVIDSON, Oliver DRAGICEVIC, Jack DUNCAN, Michael GOSSAINI, Matthew GRIMALDI, Brendan HAMILL, Joshua INSERRA, Keegan JELAKIC, Franco LINO, Thomas LOCKYER, Jack MIHAILIDIS, Charles NDUKA, Clerisario SANTOS RODRIGUEZ, Harrison SAWYER, Harrison SHILLINGTON, Xavier STELLA, Jordi VALADON, Jack WARSHAWSKY, Philippe ZEREUS
Not available: Denis JANREAU (viral infection), Nishan VELUPILLAY (leave).
Last time
Melbourne Victory made a strong start to pre-season last week by beating Caroline Springs George Cross 0-5 on Wednesday night.
Charles Nduka’s first-half strike was added upon the restart by Jack Michailidis at the far post before a late avalanche of goals allowed Harry Sawyer to complete a three-minute hat-trick.
The match allowed head coach Giovanni Savarese to give serve time to the 22 players at DEKA Park – the City Vista Pavilion and Sports Court before entering the Khan Cup Australia.
Kingborough Lions United secured Tasmania’s place in the Australian Khan Cup by winning the Milan Lakosellac Cup in early June, beating Devonport City Strikers on penalties.
Eli Wright scored a late equalizer for the Lions as the match finished level before claiming a 5-4 victory from the penalty spot at KGV Football Park.
The decisive save in the penalty shootout was made by Nick O’Connell, who flew to his left to deny Brodie Denehy’s shot.
