Avondale v South Melbourne Grand Final Preview
SUMMARY
The top two seeds in the home-and-away season have booked their spots in the NPLM Grand Final, with contrasting wins in their respective semi-finals.
Avondale, with a single loss all season, made difficult work of Melbourne Knights on Saturday, but were assured their position on Grand Final day thanks to a second-half Kristian Trajceski strike, his ninth in a spectacular season from midfield.
South Melbourne secured their ticket with a Marcus Schroen wonder goal in injury time, enough to edge past Oakleigh Cannons 2-1 and bury the demons from their Grand Final demolition defeat in 2022.
Zoran Markovski's Avondale have been in dominant form throughout season 2023, setting goal-scoring records along the way to their first NPLM Premiership. Avondale won’t be taking Estaban Quintas’ team lightly, having suffered their only loss of the season at Lakeside Stadium in Round 12.
WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR?
Round 12: South Melbourne 3-0 Avondale
Goals: Max Mikkola (SM) 31 (P), Ayden Brice (A) 51og, Ajak Riak 74
Round 25: Avondale 2-1 South Melbourne
Goals: Stefan Zinni (A) 61, Liston Diaz (A) 83, Luka Ninkovic (SM) 90+8
Avondale
Avondale have been in impeccable form and are unbeaten in fifteen matches leading into this weekend’s decider. They can lay claim to the most successful season in the NPL era with a win on Sunday.
With 91 goals in the league thus far, Avondale have spread their goals across the front half of the pitch, with Stefan Zinni (13 goals), Yusuf Ahmed (11) and Liam Boland (10) all notching up double figure tallies. Zander Guy and Zoran Trajceski, each with 9 goals, add potency from midfield and have been ably supported by Joey Katebian and Liston Diaz, who has often proven pivotal in his appearances off the bench.
Custodian, Thomas Manos, has kept 11 clean sheets this season, and with Ayden Brice, Blake Carpenter, Dillon Jakupi, Kalilou Kamara and James Riccobene in front of him, the second-best defence in the league will prove difficult to breakdown.
South Melbourne
Having exacted revenge over Oakleigh Cannons in their do-or-die semi-final, South Melbourne are attempting to make history by claiming their 11th top-flight championship in Victorian football, to add to their four national league titles.
Esteban Quintas' men finished second on the NPLM ladder with 62 points to their name, equalling their Premiership-winning feat of 2022, only bettered by the remarkable run of their opponents in Sunday’s decider.
South boast the stingiest defence in the league, only conceding 22 goals thus far.
Javier Lopez had another stand-out season between the sticks, claiming the Goalkeeper of the Year award, while Jake Marshall took out the Gold Medal with a season-best performance. With experienced heads in Marco Jankovic and the evergreen Brad Norton, South’s defence will take some breaking down.
Marcus Schroen scored two goals from midfield and was the match-winner in a best-on-pitch performance against the Cannons. Along with Morgan Evans and Pat Langlois, Schoren will lead the midfield line, with Josh Wallen and Jack Painter-Andrews providing ample defensive cover.
Ajak Riak and Max Mikkola (10 goals apiece) have proven prolific in a team more noted for its defensive qualities, while mid-season signing Yagoub Mustafa could prove a handful given enough time off the bench.
NPLM Grand Final
Avondale v South Melbourne
Date: Sunday, September 10
Venue: Olympic Village
Kick-off Time: 3:00 pm (AEST)
Broadcast: NPL.TV