A goal in each half in an encouraging display was enough for South Melbourne to see off the challenge of Spring Hills at Lakeside Stadium overnight.
A chaotic goalmouth scramble led to the opening goal just after the quarter hour, Raquel Deralas on hand to nudge a loose ball over the line after a speculative cross from Nikki Furukawa wreaked havoc in the Hills defence.
Olivia Bomford almost doubled that advantage on the half hour, her curling free-kick from long-range forcing an excellent save from Jenna Ibrahim. The goalkeeper was on hand again in the 42nd minute, denying Deralas at point-blank range, the winger failing to hit the target with her second shot in as many seconds.
South’s profligacy in front of goal almost came to haunt them, as Maja Markovski broke free down the right wing, her cut-back setting up Julia Budiongo in the six-yard box. But a poor first touch from the Spring Hills forward was enough to give Ayana Aoyagi the chance to spoil what appeared to be a certain equaliser before the break.
A second goal in the game finally came early in the second half and it was Bomford who doubled the hosts advantage with a rasping left foot drive thanks to some fine build-up play from Deralas and Isabella Sewards.
Despite the presence of Markovski up front, Hills struggled to create any genuine chances on goal for the remainder of the half, and so it remained 2-0 at the full-time whistle, South Melbourne booking their place in the semi-finals, where a reinvigorated FC Bulleen Lions await them at the Veneto Club.
The other semi-final sees 2012 Cup finalist Bundoora United visit Olympic Village, with a rampaging Heidelberg United hoping to continue their quest for the League-Cup double in a fortnight’s time.
Nike FC Cup: Quarter-Final Results
- Heidelberg United 6 (Steph Galea 14, 40, Bronte Peel 34, Mia Bailey 57pk, Sawa Matsuda 70, Asuka Miyata 90) Manningham United 0
- Bayside Argonauts 2 (Suzu Murakami 4, 53) Bundoora United 6 (Taylor Halabi 11, Isobel Berks 26, 32, 45, Josie Lonsdale 29, Samantha Black 56)
- FC Bulleen Lions 2 (Dani Butrus 7, Nia Salleh 57) Alamein 1 (Savanna Anastasopoulos 2)
- South Melbourne 2 (Raquel Deralas 16, Olivia Bomford 50) Spring Hills 0
Nike FC Cup: Semi-Final Schedule
Wednesday 16 July, 7:30pm
- Heidelberg United vs Bundoora United @ Olympic Village
- FC Bulleen Lions vs South Melbourne @ Veneto Club