Words: Michael Flynn
Image: Brian Monro/Sport-in-Digital

Palm Beach goalkeeper Shane Viitakangas believes this year’s Westfield FFA Cup offers a chance at redemption following last year’s Quarter Final exit.

Viitakangas was a key member in Sharks’ PlayStation 4 NPL Queenland Premiership and Championship winning squad last year - keeping eleven clean sheets and receiving the PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland Safe Hands Award as the competition’s stand-out shot-stopper.

However, the 21-year-old said despite tasting success in league competition he feels he has unfinished business in the Westfield FFA Cup.

“I want to perform better than what I did in the Central Coast Mariners game,” Viitakangas said of last year’s elimination which saw Sharks concede five goals against the Hyundai A-League powerhouse.

“I was playing with a torn ligament in my thumb a week before that game, so I hadn’t done any training since then and that game was the first thing back for me.”

“I felt like I played pretty badly, so this is a big chance to show that I can perform in the big games.”

Viitakangas has one clean sheet to his credit in this year’s Westfield FFA Cup - shutting out Noosa Lions to qualify for the Round of 32 - and is the favourite to claim the league Safe Hands Award again this year.

However, he is adamant that the team always comes first.

“I strive to be the best I can be and getting those personal awards is great but really it’s about the team and getting those three points every week in the league and progressing as far as we can in the FFA Cup.”

While conceding that South Melbourne will provide a formidable challenge, he said his teammates won’t be overawed by their opponent’s well-publicised pedigree.

“I think it’s a matter of just playing what’s put in front of us on the night,” he explained.

“South Melbourne’s reputation won’t win them the game and we’ve seen plenty of teams knocked out by so-called smaller clubs, so this is definitely a game I believe we can win.”

“In Queensland we are just as good as the big clubs in Melbourne and Sydney and we want to show that we can beat one of the biggest clubs in Australia.”

Tonight’s match will be broadcast live on FoxSports and Viitakangas is adamant the chance to shine before a national audience will only draw the best from his teammates.

“I think it’s a huge boost for all the players that want to get noticed. We have a fairly young side and many of the boys, including myself, want to get seen and move onto bigger things if we can.”

“It’s a good opportunity for us to show what we’ve got and also to get the NPL Queensland name out there and show this is a serious league with quality players,” he concluded.

Fixture Details:
Westfield FFA Cup Round of 32
Palm Beach SC v South Melbourne FC
Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Wednesday, July 29
Kick-off - 7:30PM

Broadcast LIVE AND EXCLUSIVE on Fox Sports Channel 505

Tickets available at the official Palm Beach SC website