The Victorian Premier League club's winning goal cam through Joseph Youssef when he scored late in the first half.

Australian-born midfielder Goran Subara put in a full shift for the losing S-League side.

It was star South midfielder Daniel Vasilevski who opened the scoring in the 11th minute.

He slotted home after a cross from debutant Kyle Joryeff, who joined after being Sunshine George Cross' leading scorer in the first half of the VPL season.

But Gombak was on level terms after 27 minutes, thanks to forward Agu Casmir.

The competition's first Australian side scored the decisive goal seven minutes prior to the break.

This time it was Vasilevski doing the setting up for Youssef to reopen the one-goal buffer.

South Melbourne's victory came without star duo Fernando De Moraes, the VPL's leading scorer, and former Chelsea and Melbourne Victory man Joe Keenan.

Despite coach Vaughan Coveny's concerns his part-time outfit was taking on a professional one, South was triumphant.

The Victorian side will face the winner of the clash between Singapore Armed Forces FC and Bangkok Glass FC to be played on Thursday night AEST.

Gombak is currently in fourth place on the S-League table.