Hakoah Sydney City East anticipating Melbourne City match-up
Hakoah Sydney City East FC will cap off their second season in the PlayStation4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s football league on a high, as they take on the might of Melbourne City in a Westfield FFA Cup Round of 16 clash at Leichhardt Oval on Tuesday 29th August at 7.30pm.
It’s been a stellar year for Hakoah FC in the Cup competitions, having last month beaten APIA Leichardt 3-1 in the final of the prestigious NSW Waratah Cup. With the success of the win, Hakoah FC became the most successful club in Waratah Cup history with seven wins, winning their first Cup back in 1959. Tim Cahill’s Melbourne City are the reigning FFA Cup holders and will provide Hakoah FC with yet another opportunity to benchmark how far the Eastern Suburbs based club has come in just a few short seasons since joining the PS4 NPL NSW Men’s competition.
Five years ago, the Club was playing in the State League Division 2 and after winning two minor premierships and two promotions, was able to gain entry to the NPL2 division. Hakoah FC won the Club Championship in its first season and gained promotion to the state’s top tier where it battles NSW football heavyweights such as APIA, Sydney Olympic, Sydney United and Blacktown City on a weekly basis. The Club has since formed a strong foundation which includes the 2016 Premiership and grand final silverware double for the under 18 team.
“We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved over the past five years” said Hakoah FC President, Michael Katz.
“Our vision was always to bring top level football back to the heart of the NSW Eastern Suburbs, by giving the youngsters of our community the opportunity to play at the highest level preceding the A-League. Our development of this youth programme has created a viable pathway to professional football, which is a significant first for this area of Sydney.”
The clash with Melbourne City will be particularly poignant for the Bouzanis family, whose son Anthony is the Hakoah FC goalkeeper. The game will see Anthony (21) and his older brother Dean (26), as the Melbourne City custodian, go head to head in a senior, professional fixture for the first time. With bragging rights up for grabs, Anthony will be doing everything in his power to protect the Hakoah FC goal, knowing that a clean sheet would give his team of underdogs a real chance at causing a huge Cup upset.
Michael Katz continued: “Due to the anticipation for this game, we are expecting a huge turnout of supporting fans; particularly as children under 16 can enjoy the game free of charge. As such, to ensure everyone can be accommodated, Leichardt Oval will be our host.”
“We would like to encourage all Hakoah FC, Melbourne City, and local football fans to come along with their family and friends to watch the clash of the Cup winners and the battle of the Bouzanis brothers. The event will be a real opportunity for supporters to play a valuable role in achieving our ambition to raise Hakoah FC’s profile within the Eastern Suburbs football and broader community” concluded Katz.
Hakoah FC vs Melbourne City will be played at Leichhardt Oval on Tuesday 29 August, kicking off at 7:30pm.
Tickets can be purchased at the gate (adults $20, student and concessions $15, children under 16 FREE) or online here: http://hakoahfc.com.au/news/ffa-cup-purchase-tickets/
