Melbourne Victory face South Melbourne FC in the Hahn Australia Cup Final.
The sold-out showpiece at AAMI Park pits the two teams, separated by just a few kilometres, for a first-ever competitive meeting on Saturday, October 10, kick-off 7:35pm AEDT, with prized silverware on the line.
Both entered the competition at the Round of 32 stage: Victory as an A-League Club, South by winning the inaugural Australian Championship last year, and whilst the latter have progressed without leaving Victoria – beating Adelaide United, Fremantle City, Preston Lions and Lions FC – the Boys in Blue have fusslessly strung together four away wins.
This impressive run saw them sweep interstate rivals Sydney FC aside in the last-four, setting up the highly anticipated Final and the chance to lift a third Australia Cup title, live on Paramount+, against a familiar yet unencountered opponent this weekend.
The Boys in Blue
Melbourne Victory’s progression to the 2026 Hahn Australia Cup Final has been near-faultless, scoring eight times, conceding just once, and having an air of quiet confidence as they have successfully navigated road trips to both A-League and NPL opposition.
The Round of 32 win away to Kingborough Lions United was businesslike, eliminating the first-time entrants from Tasmania 0-4 on a night when German defender Philipp Ziereis, recruited during the off-season, opened the scoring and contributed markedly to a clean sheet.
Giovanni Savarese, now on the touchline, after receiving regulatory approval from Football Australia, saw his charges battle hard to get past Western Sydney Wanderers at Marconi Stadium. Harry Sawyer, signed from Macarthur FC, broke the deadlock in extra time, only for the hosts to force the game to penalties. Step forward Jack Duncan, who saved three spot kicks in his first senior shootout to send Victory through.
An additional 30 minutes was required, but not a shootout, on the second of three successive trips to New South Wales when NPL Premiers-elect APIA Leichhardt were edged, thanks to another goal and celebration combo from former South Melbourne man Sawyer.
Then it was the biggest test so far, a maiden Australia Cup Big Blue for a place in the Final, which Victory took charge of from the second minute, as Keegan Jelacic, fed by Matt Grimaldi, arrowed the visitors in front. This advantage was deservedly doubled around the hour mark, when Charles Nduka forced an own goal to confirm the Boys in Blue’s progression.
Final squad:
Louis D’ARRIGO, Jason DAVIDSON, Oliver DRAGICEVIC, Jack DUNCAN, Denis GENREAU, Michael GHOSSAINI, Daniel GRASKOSKI, Matthew GRIMALDI, Brendan HAMILL, Joshua INSERRA, Keegan JELACIC, William KENGNI, Franco LINO, Tom LOCKYER, Guillermo MAY, Jack MIHAILIDIS, Charles NDUKA, Malik OLUKHALE, Clerismario SANTOS RODRIGUES, Harrison SAWYER, Harrison SHILLINGTON, Xavier STELLA, Jordi VALADON, Jack WARSHAWSKY, Philipp ZIEREIS.
Last time out
Melbourne Victory backed up their Hahn Australia Cup Final triumph with a credible away draw against Thể Công-Viettel in the AFC Champions League Two.
On Match Day 1, at Hàng Đẫy Stadium, Giovanni Savarese’s men equipped themselves well and hit the woodwork during the first half, with Charles Nduka heading Jordi Valadon’s cross onto the post.
Victory would go ahead early in the second half, with Thể Công unable to contain Santos, who burst into the box and picked out the far corner. The points would be shared, though, with the hosts equalising through Ribamar just four minutes later.
Bul Juach’s hat-trick saw South Melbourne FC fight back to overcome Lions FC of Queensland to reach the Hahn Australia Cup Final.
The NPL Victoria outfit trailed at the interval following Jackson Hart-Phillips’ tidy close-range finish midway through the first half before roaring back to take the Semi-Final spoils.
South frontman Juach was the ultimate fox in the box, scoring all of his goals from inside the six-yard box across a 30-minute blitz.
