Kingston’s Lightwood Park was transformed into the centre of Australian football on Sunday night as almost 3,000 fans packed the Kingston venue to watch Melbourne Victory defeat Kingborough Lions United 4-0 in the Australia Cup.
The Round of 32 clash marked a historic occasion for the NPL Tasmania club, hosting its first match in the national knockout competition against one of the A-League’s biggest clubs.
A crowd of 2,875 created a lively atmosphere as Victory scored twice in each half to book its place in the Round of 16, with first-half goals from Philipp Ziereis and Matthew Grimaldi setting the visitors on their way.
While the scoreline ended Kingborough’s cup run, the club said the opportunity to host a match of such significance on its home ground was something it would “always treasure”.
“To see our community come together for such a special occasion was something we’ll never forget,” the club said in a social media post.
“While we would have loved to celebrate a goal and hear the crowd erupt, having the opportunity to host a match of this magnitude at our home ground is something we will always treasure.”
The club also paid tribute to its volunteers, saying they had worked “from early in the morning until the final whistle” to ensure the event ran smoothly.
“This night was a reflection of the strength of our club,” the post said.
Melbourne Victory also praised the hosts after the match, thanking Kingborough Lions United for the “incredible atmosphere” in Kingston.
Victory will now await Thursday’s Round of 16 draw as its Australia Cup campaign continues.
