An all-Victorian, extra-time, 3-2 classic between Hume City and South Melbourne kicked off the 2024 Australia Cup Quarter-Finals, at a soaking Hume City Stadium.
Jordan Lampard provided the winning goal deep into extra time to send South Melbourne into the semi-finals, where they will face either fellow NPL Victoria side Oakleigh Cannons, or former cup champions Macarthur FC.
The hosts took the lead 12 minutes in as the rain began to pour down. Josh Bingham slid in to convert Mark Ochieng’s right-sided cross that had been dropped onto him, in the middle of the box.
Bingham’s goal was Hume’s first against South Melbourne in 2024, losing 1-0 in their previous four matches across the Dockerty Cup and NPL Men’s Victoria encounters.
City continued to pressure their opponents, stealing possession high up the field with a second goal looking likely. South Melbourne burst into life just after the half-hour with a quickfire double chance.
The lively Andy Brennan drilled in a ball from the right that Nahuel Bonada poked goal-wards, provoking a top reaction save from Michael Weier. The ball rebounded out to Jack Painter-Andrews further out, who lashed a strike at goal, with full-back Ochieng heading the ball away from the goal line.
City’s bright start to the match proved the difference at the halftime break as they went into the sheds with a narrow lead over their Victorian rivals.
South Melbourne were handed a lifeline just four minutes into the second half when Karl Imanzi was deemed to have handled the ball in the box. Harrison Sawyer took responsibility and picked out the top right corner, with Weier diving in the other direction.
The visitors’ equaliser ignited a fiery period in the game as the two sides traded blows and the pitch began to open, with chances falling both ways. However, the next goal would not arrive until the 73rd minute.
South Melbourne’s Maximilian Mikkola pushed the ball out to Lampard off the left, who swung a cross back into Mikkola to head the ball into the right of the goal. However, the home side pegged South Melbourne back less than two minutes later. Left-back Lachlan Weier lined up a shot from outside the box and arrowed a right-footed strike into the top left corner, netting a memorable first goal of the year.
After a gruelling and wet 90 minutes at Hume City Stadium, the match moved into extra time. This tested the endurance of both squads, who had recently concluded a long NPL campaign. Yet, in the 116th minute, South Melbourne retook the lead.Â
A right-sided ball was stood up into the middle of the box, and it bounced towards the back post for Lampard, who directed a diving header inside the right post.
The visitors defended diligently in what remained to secure their place in the semi-finals of the Cup. This will be South Melbourne’s second appearance in the semi-finals, having previously made the final four in 2017.
