South Melbourne can now dream more boldly of an A-League place after making Australian football history as the first NPL club to win the Australia Cup. The historic triumph came through a penalty shootout victory over Melbourne Victory in a dramatic and emotionally charged final.
On one of the most memorable nights in Australian domestic soccer, South Melbourne held Victory to extra time, recovered after falling 1-0 behind and scored a late equaliser to make it 1-1. They then prevailed 4-3 on penalties before a raucous sellout crowd of 29,911 at AAMI Park.
The result delivered South Melbourne’s biggest achievement in 22 years. Like several other former NSL clubs, South had been shut out of top-flight football after the competition folded in 2024.
The club has long pursued an A-League licence, and this extraordinary Australia Cup victory has given its case fresh momentum.
“I really cannot find any excuse not to see this club play in the A-League,” coach Sinisa Cohadzic said.
The triumph came in South’s 54th match of the season, following their defeat by Auckland FC in the OFC Pro League final. Cohadzic had challenged his squad to make the most of another opportunity on the big stage.
“I said to them that tonight sometimes reality surpasses even the most beautiful dreams, and tonight was one of those nights,” he said.
“It was one of those nights where they had to believe that they can get a result.”
South Melbourne became the first NPL team to win the Australia Cup after defeating Melbourne Victory on penalties in a dramatic final
Melbourne Victory appeared to have seized control when Denis Genreau produced an athletic, improvised half-volley to score in the 95th minute. But South Melbourne refused to surrender, with Max Mikkola forcing the ball home in the 117th minute to level the match and send the stadium into delirium.
South goalkeeper Javier Lopez then became the shootout hero, earning the Mark Viduka Medal as the final’s best player.
Lopez first denied former South captain Harrison Sawyer, only for the penalty to be retaken after the goalkeeper was judged to have moved off his line. The decision made no difference: Lopez saved the retake as well.
“I remember in January when the club said we want to win the Australia Cup. I said, ‘You guys, that would be crazy,’” Lopez said.
“Now we are the champions.”
South Melbourne converted every one of its penalties before Victory captain Jason Davidson, the son of South great Alan Davidson, sent his decisive spot-kick over the crossbar.
South became the first NPL side to lift the Australia Cup, achieving what Heidelberg last year and Sydney United 58 in 2022 were unable to do.
The victory also technically gives South Melbourne a place in next season’s Asian Champions League 2 competition.
For Melbourne Victory, the loss extended the club’s wait for silverware. Their most recent trophy remains the 2021 Australia Cup.
South Melbourne embraced the occasion from the opening whistle, taking the match directly to Giovanni Savarese’s Victory and matching the scale of the moment with a fearless performance. In an electric atmosphere, the former NSL powerhouse delivered the biggest night the club has enjoyed in years.
South Melbourne’s long-standing push for an A-League licence gained significant momentum after the club’s historic Australia Cup victory
A huge contingent of their fans packed the south end of AAMI Park, holding banners of club legends including Ange Postecoglou, Ferenc Puskas and John Margaritis.
‘You guys have stuck with us for 20 years, playing in the NPL and you’ve shown tonight what this future holds for this great club,’ said captain Marco Jankovic.
The only lowlight of the night was a section of the crowd at the South end booing the Welcome to Country before the match.
Victory should have taken the lead in the 78th minute when Santos’s poor shot allowed Lopez to make an extraordinary save with his knees.
But there was nothing Lopez could do in extra-time to stop himself being lobbed by Genreau’s strange half-volley, which bounced over the line before he could grab it.
Then, with the clock winding down, South substitute Jordan Swibel burst down the right and sent in a ball that caused chaos and ended with Mikkola toe-poking home.
AAMI Park erupted and when the game was sent to penalties minutes later, only one club ever felt on top.
‘We were not surprised by the stadium, by the environment… it was a proper Australia Cup the way it should be,’ Savarese said.
‘I think it will be remembered as one of the most iconic.
‘Unfortunately, on our side, I wish we lifted the trophy.’
