Friday, July 25, 2025

South Hobart go awfully close to Australia Cup upset

PhotoSouth Melbourne's Andy Brennan scored the equaliser against his former club. [PlessPix] 

 South Hobart put on a memorable performance before succumbing 2-1 to South Melbourne in the Round-of-32 Australia Cup clash at KGV Park on Wednesday night.

The Tasmanian side took the lead in the 28th minute when midfielder Kobe Kemp produced one of the outstanding goals of the tournament with a spectacular overhead kick from 14 metres that lodged in the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

Photo:  South Hobart's Kobe Kemp scored a sensational goal against South Melbourne. [PlessPix]

 South Hobart were creating chances and Patrick Ayoul should have also have scored when through on goal but his heavy first touch sent the ball beyond his reach.

Former South Hobart striker Andy Brennan equalised in the 32nd minute, both starting the attack on the half-way line on the right and then racing forward to finish the move from a return cross on the edge of the 6-yard box.

Nahuel Bonada grabbed what proved to be the winner 4 minutes before the interval after an error by Tobias Herweynen gifted possession to Bonada, who cut inside and fired into the far corner of the net past keeper Nick O’Connell.

South Melbourne began to dominate play in the second half and went close to increasing their lead on at least a couple of occasions.

South Hobart still had a sting in their tail, however, and substitute Harrison Oates and Ayoul both went close to scoring in the closing stages.

It was a brave display by South Hobart and, with a little bit of luck and better finishing, they may just have produced an upset.

Australia Cup Round-of-32, Wednesday, 23 July 2025

South Hobart 1 (Kobe Kemp 28’) lost to South Melbourne 2 (Andy Brennan 32’, Nahuel Bonada 41’)

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31 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree with your headline Walter. It would have been awful had the upset occurred :)

Erwin said...

Wont matter a bit ! You can obviously buy a Tasmanian premiership but you won't buy yourself into the mainland NPL , your dreaming

Anonymous said...

Shows the gap in standards. 10th in NPL Vic vs 1st NPL Tas.

Anonymous said...

Great Game we’ll promoted by lots of Volunteers.

Doubt South Hobart we’ll say thank’s for their efforts but excellent crowd nonetheless.

Anonymous said...

Want to say how much better KGV is for these games. Best surface in the state and the thousands of spectators around the ground just adds to the atmosphere.

Anonymous said...

The mighty Olympia warriors still the only team to beat south Melbourne. Away too! If only south had shown the same heart and defensive nous

Anonymous said...

What was the official crowd number through the gates?

Anonymous said...

What a great night for Tasmanian football. Amazing that there are negative comments for this story. Some people will always be miserable.

Anonymous said...

2-1 most leagues them results happen so your comment is irrelevant, Bash NPL TAS if you want but look at every game our state has played against other NPL states every game has been close.

Anonymous said...

Kopra best on ground - well officiated under the lights, cameras and action - even gave South a sporting chance

Anonymous said...

Knights laughing all the way to the bank - great job by their volunteers - beers were cold and plentiful

Anonymous said...

The biggest issue is South Hobart player payment’s are the biggest in the State .

And we still can’t beat the tenth team in NPL Victoria.

Anonymous said...

Best surface? It’s plastic.

Anonymous said...

The other teams played were better than the South Melbourne team that showed up. Not bashing. Just being honest.

Anonymous said...

Only a few players from South stood out. Rest didn’t. Young kid that came on has talent and speed. Hopefully he gets to the mainland

Anonymous said...

Beat me to it anon 7:10pm.

Was going to say that they weren't as plucky as that Olympia team who beat South Melbourne, playing in Melbourne and with only 10 players for most of the second half.

Now that's a performance to be proud of.

FT much prefer to leave clubs who have such a proud history in Tasmanian football out of the NPL using rubbish legislation and policies as their reasons.

Anonymous said...

Yes, agree. It was an entertaining and competitive game. It is sad that the morons on here, who often can't string a coherent thought together, still moan and spout the same old, tired rubbish.

Anonymous said...

Did Morton have the circle button on the controller pushed in too much every time he went to shoot?

Anonymous said...

I totally agree, it was a good competitive game which was entertaining to watch. I personally am tired of the negativity generated on here, and people who always think the past is so much better than the present, which is pure rubbish. Why don’t people just enjoy local sport for what it is, as well as enjoy professional leagues on your TVs.

Anonymous said...

You think South are paying more than South Melbourne? You are a clown.

Anonymous said...

929pm. That is as stupid as saying the top paid ALeague team still couldn't beat the 20 placed EPL team. Who do you think has more money for player payments between SH and SM?

Anonymous said...

@11:01 pm Yes. Let us not forget that was the NPL Australian Championships where all the winning teams from the states competed. So, it was first vs first in every game. I think you can re watch that Olympia FC victory the greatest of any Tasmanian football club played in Melbourne on Youtube. Sadly, however the club is now only a social club competing in the lower leagues and may never play topflight football again. Perhaps more chance to fold and cease to exist than that.

Anonymous said...

Must be alright because obviously you keep reading.

Anonymous said...

George will return as a messiah and Olympia will be a force again. You keep cleaning dog crap off ur oval and dreaming of being in a second division

Anonymous said...

No way South will make second division. They lost against a 10th place NPL.

Anonymous said...

At anon 4:01pm
I didn't realise that it was all the teams that finished in 1st position in their respective leagues that competed in the competition.
Makes it even more of an amazing result.

But I think that Olympia will be around for decades and even centuries.

Clubs with a proud history tend to continue to be popular as they are also the history and culture of football in Tasmania.

As the saying goes, nothing lasts forever and once FT realises how to run football in Tasmania, then all clubs will be better for it instead of yielding to politics instead of ruining football in the state.

Anonymous said...

That 10th place NPL side is already in the second division, as a founding member

Anonymous said...

Frustrating that every other FA Cup game that night was free to livestream on YouTube. I went to watch this one five minutes before kickoff, only to realise I needed to set up and pay for a Paramount subscription. Bit of a shame.

Anonymous said...

(By FA Cup I mean Football Australia Cup..)

Anonymous said...

Does anyone have any thoughts on the offside leading to the first goal? Sounded like the striker felt the same.

Anonymous said...

Who will Sourh draw in the Round of 16?