NPL Victoria sides Hume City and Port Melbourne go head-to-head at ABD Stadium on Wednesday night as FFA Cup Round of 32 action begins in Victoria.
Hume are no strangers to the Cup, reaching the national rounds for a fifth time this year, with their best ever run seeing them reach the Semi Finals in 2015 where they were defeated by Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park.
The boys from Broadmeadow remarkably qualified with four straight 3-0 wins in the preliminary rounds, defeating Warragul United, Frankston Pines, Bentleigh Greens and Monbulk Rangers on their way to the Round of 32.
Former Central Coast Mariners forward, Josh Bingham, top-scored in the league for Nick Hegarty’s side this season with 13 goals.
Bingham is one of five former A-League players in the Hume squad alongside Andy Brennan, Mitch Cooper, Mark Ochieng and Theo Markelis.
However, Hume will be without goalkeeper Michael Weier who departed the club to sign for Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s side Newcastle Jets after five seasons at ABD Stadium.
Hume sat in fourth position, five points ahead of seventh placed Port Melbourne when the 2021 NPL Victoria season was abandoned as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hume got the better of the Sharks in their two league meetings this year, winning 2-1 and 3-0.
Port Melbourne will be looking to make the Round of 16 for the first time in what is their second appearance on the national stage.
The Sharks suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of APIA Leichhardt in 2018 in their only previous Round of 32 appearance.
Adam Piddick’s side defeated Berwick City, Manningham United, Sydenham Park and Moreland Zebras on their way to the Round of 32, scoring 16 goals in the process.
George Mells, Aaron Reardon & Ross Archibald are all players with A-League experience in the Sharks squad.
Port Melbourne have also completed the acquisitions of Troy Ruthven and Josh Wilkins ahead of Wednesday’s match.
You can catch all the action from Wednesday’s match live and free via 10 Play.
Hume City vs Port Melbourne Sharks
Date: Wednesday, 10 October 2021, 7:30pm AEDT
Venue: ABD Stadium, Broadmeadows
Broadcast: Live & fee via 10 Play
Tickets: Buy here
