The 2025 NPLW Match of the Round Preview
Round 14: South Melbourne v Alamein
Venue: Lakeside Stadium, Albert Park
Date/Time: Saturday 28 June 2025, 3:00pm
South Melbourne return to Lakeside on Saturday morning, keen to re-ignite their NPLW campaign which has faltered owing to an unexpected change in Head Coach and a spate of five draws in their past seven matches, which has seen them fall from top spot at the end of April to a precarious fourth at the end of Round 13. They take on a reinvigorated Alamein, who under the experienced tutelage of John Kyrgios, find themselves sitting pretty in second spot as the race for Finals positions heats up after the closure of the mid-season transfer window.
The arrival of Ashleigh Lefevre and Anna Liacopoulos has added experienced depth to Alamein’s midfield, while Miranda Templeman is a welcome addition to the club’s goalkeeping stocks. For South, the biggest change has come in the departure of Matt Shephard, the one-time Melbourne Victory Manager departing due to personal reasons. Justin Micallef has stepped into the hot seat, having recently served as Assistant Coach for Western United’s in their most recent ALW campaign. South added some of FV Academy’s finest, with Eva Kokotis and Ehva Gutsmit already making their debuts since moving across.
A win for South will renew hopes of a Top 2 position, while Alamein are keen to keep the pressure on the Bergers, who despite being two games clear on top of the table, are still very much catchable in the race for the NPLW Premiership.
Head-to-Head Record
Played: 20
South Melbourne: 7
Alamein: 8
Draws: 5
Last Time They Met
Round 3, Saturday 29 March 2025, 3:00pm @ Dorothy Laver West Reserve.
Alamein 0;
South Melbourne 3 (Furukawa 24, Westland 26, Sandhu 67).
Referee: Sebastiaan Sterel.
Alamein: Olivia Cowan, Estelle Bougias, Chinatsu Shidara, Madison Van Dooren (Roisin Murphy 46), Jessica Shilton, Dakota Thyssen (Matilda Lohrey 60), Savanna Anastasopoulos (Harriet Lohrey 60), Paige Clemenson (Elise Cook 81), Priya Archdeacon, Maximillia Kostur (Emma Runnalls 46), Neve Duston; Coach: John Kyrgios; Cautions: Nil.
South Melbourne: Cristina Esposito, Bridie Cooling (Olivia Edwards 90), Francesca Iermano, Akeisha Sandhu, Olivia Bomford, Raquel Deralas (Sophie Papatsanis 64), Meisha Westland (Dragana Kljajic 64), Nikki Furukawa (Gia Kapsimallis 56), Mami Ambo, Alana Burn, Tiffany Eliadis (Alannah Filipovic 90); Coach: Matthew Shepherd; Cautions: Nil.
Watch the last time they me
The Barometer: Nikki Furakawa
A revelation in her debut NPLW season, Nikki Furakawa has been an ever present in South Melbourne’s starting line-up, her early consistency matched by her durability as she hasn’t missed a minute of League play this season. With six goals in the opening five rounds, she was the x-factor that took South to the top of the table at the end of April. But while Furakawa was prolific early on, her output of late has been non-existent. Without a goal in eight matches, it would appear that Furakawa is indeed South’s barometer, and goals from either boot will go a long way to restoring South’s confidence in the run towards finals.
The 2025 NPLW Round 14 Match of the Round will be broadcast live and free on the NPL Victoria YouTube Channel.
Commentator:
Joey Lynch.
NPLW Round 14 Matches
- Friday 27 June, 7:30pm: Box Hill United vs Boroondara Eagles @ Wembley Park
- Friday 27 June, 8:30pm: Spring Hills vs Essendon Royals @ Springside Recreational Reserve
- Saturday 28 June, 3:00pm: Brunswick Juventus vs Bentleigh Greens @ CB Smith Reserve
- Saturday 28 June, 3:00pm: South Melbourne vs Alamein @ Lakeside Stadium
- Saturday 28 June, 4:15pm: Heidelberg United vs FV Academy @ Olympic Village
- Sunday 29 June, 3:00pm: Preston Lions vs Bulleen Lions @ Genis Steel Stadium