Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
South Melbourne have become the first non A-League team to win the Australia Cup after beating Melbourne Victory on penalties in an emotion-charged blockbuster final.
In one of the greatest nights in Australian domestic soccer history, former NSL powerhouses South first took Victory to extra time then fought back from 1-0 down to level it at 1-1 at the death before winning 4-3 on penalties in front of a pumping sellout crowd of 29,911 fans at AAMI Park..
South Melbourne, who have long craved an A-League licence, only strengthened their bid for that with a win that capped off an extraordinary evening.
Denis Genreau scored an athletic, improvised half-volley in the 95th minute to put Victory in front, before Max Mikkola forced home an equaliser in the 117th minute to send the game to penalties and the crowd into ecstasy.
In the penalty shootout, South goalkeeper Javier Lopez was the hero, denying former South captain Harrison Sawyer, before Victory skipper Jason Davidson hit his must-score penalty over the bar.
In becoming the first NPL team to win the Australia Cup, Sinisa Cohadzic’s South succeed where Heidelberg last year and Sydney United 58 in 2022 could not.
With the win, South also technically claim a berth in next season’s Asian Champions League 2 competition.
The defeat also extends Victory’s silverware drought, with the club’s most recent trophy the 2021 Australia Cup.
