South Melbourne wins historic Australia Cup title

South Melbourne FC Australia Cup Melbourne Victory NPL Asian Champions League 2

South Melbourne FC made history by becoming the first club from outside the A-League to win the Australia Cup. In a dramatic final at AAMI Park, the National Premier Leagues (NPL) side defeated Melbourne Victory 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the match ended in a 1-1 draw following extra time.

Melbourne Victory initially took the lead in the 95th minute through Denis Genreau, but South Melbourne’s Max Mikkola scored an equalizer in the 117th minute to force the shootout. South Melbourne goalkeeper Javier Lopez emerged as a hero during the penalties, helping secure the club's 10th national trophy.

The victory, achieved in front of a record crowd of 29,911 fans, also secures South Melbourne a berth in the next season's Asian Champions League 2 competition. The club, which was founded in 1959 by Greek immigrants, has long sought entry into the A-League, a goal coach Sinisa Cohadzic suggests is now undeniable following this performance.

Entities

AAMI Park · Denis Genreau · Javier López · Max Mikkola · Melbourne Victory · South Melbourne · South Melbourne FC

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] South Melbourne won the penalty shootout 4-3. www.perthnow.com.au
[● 2 SOURCES] Max Mikkola scored an equalizer in the 117th minute to tie the game 1-1. www.perthnow.com.au
[● 2 SOURCES] South Melbourne is the first non-A-League team to win the Australia Cup. www.perthnow.com.au
[● 2 SOURCES] The victory earns South Melbourne a technical berth in the Asian Champions League 2. www.perthnow.com.au
[● 3 SOURCES] Denis Genreau scored a goal in the 95th minute of extra time to give Melbourne Victory a 1-0 lead. www.perthnow.com.au
[● 3 SOURCES] The final was attended by a record-breaking crowd of 29,911 fans at AAMI Park. www.perthnow.com.au
[● 2 SOURCES] South Melbourne goalkeeper Javier Lopez was instrumental in the penalty shootout victory. www.perthnow.com.au
[● 2 SOURCES] Melbourne Victory has not won a trophy since the 2021 Australia Cup. www.perthnow.com.au