Kingborough Lions United are preparing for the biggest match in the club’s history, with more than 3,000 fans expected to pack Kitchen Centre Park in Kingston when they host A-League giants Melbourne Victory in the Hahn Australia Cup round of 32.
The club will welcome the A-League side today with the match kicking off at 5pm.
Club coach Jon Fenech said preparations at their home ground were well advanced after the club worked closely with Kingborough Council to get the facility ready for such a big clash.
“There’s a lot of excitement,” Fenech told Pulse.
“The club’s come together. There’s a lot of work being done at the ground to get the facility ready for the big game and everyone’s excited.”
Fenech said grandstand tickets were already selling well and the club had secured an extra 700 seats for what was previously a standing area.
“People don’t necessarily know that there’s enough seats … so we just need to get the message out there that there’s plenty of seats available, not just standing area,” he said.
Melbourne Victory have been given an allocation of tickets and are expected to bring a healthy travelling contingent, along with support from their fan base in Tasmania.
The NPL Tasmania side, made up entirely of part-time players with full-time jobs, is trying not to look too far ahead, with regular season games still ongoing.
They recorded a 2-0 away win against Glenorchy Knights in their most recent league match.
Fenech said the squad was doing its best not to get carried away by the big occasion looming.
“We’re trying not to be distracted,” he said.
“We just take it game by game, week by week.”
Fenech said preparation for the A-League opposition was tricky given the Victory had appointed new coach Giovanni Savarese, making it hard to predict their style of play.
“They’ve got an ex-Premier League captain from the English Premier League and plenty of seasoned professionals and even internationals, so we know exactly the quality that they’ll have,” he said.
“But it’s 11 v 11 and when you get on the pitch, it’s all about how you compete on the day.”
He said a win would be “monumental” for the club and Tasmanian football.
Fenech also praised the collaboration between the council, Football Tasmania and local stakeholders, saying the match had delivered lasting upgrades to Kitchen Centre Park including new fences and seating.
“Credit to the players for winning a game of football and creating a bit of a lasting legacy,” he said.
