South Melbourne have completed a dream weekend, following up Saturday’s Dockerty Cup triumph with a tense Nike FC Cup Final victory over Heidelberg United on a perfect Sunday afternoon.
This marks South’s first Nike FC Cup title since the competition’s inception in 2016, having last reached the final in 2022.
The opening half was cagey, with both teams feeling each other out before South began to control possession.
The first real chance came in the 38th minute when Alana Burn’s volley struck the crossbar, with a scramble of Heidelberg defenders clearing on the line.
Moments before half-time, young South forward Alexis Pantazopoulos broke free down the far wing with acres of space, but centre-back Rosie Wild’s defensive pressure forced the shot high.
South started the second half strongly, going close in the 47th minute when Gracie Taranto’s header from a well-delivered corner cannoned into the crossbar.
Heidelberg began to find rhythm as the half wore on, with Asuka Miyata and Sawa Matsuda combining well in attack. South’s missed opportunities looked set to prove costly when Tamar Levin, fed by Molly Burke after neat midfield work from Sarah O’Donoghue, produced a fine first touch before finishing clinically to give Heidelberg the lead.
South hit back quickly, with Nikki Furukawa firing home to make it 1-1 in the 69th minute. Heidelberg almost regained the lead shortly after when Caitlin Karic whipped in a dangerous cross for Matsuda, but goalkeeper Ayana Aoyagi was alert to intercept.
Tensions boiled over late, with Olivia Bomford shown a yellow card in the 85th minute for tugging Asuka’s Miyata’s shirt who was looking to create another chance on goal for the Bergers.
With neither side able to break the deadlock, extra time beckoned with the best chance in extra time coming in the 113th minute when Furukawa unleashed a long-range effort, only for Heidelberg keeper Mia Bailey to tip it over the bar.
As the clock neared 120 minutes, both sides brought on penalty specialists, Akeisha Sandhu for South and Steph Galea for Heidelberg.
In the shootout, Grace Taranto opened for South and calmly converted, before Ayana Aoyagi denied Tamar Levin to hand her side the early advantage.
South defender Tj Vlanjic then sent her effort over the bar, but Aoyagi came to the rescue again, saving Maia Heysen’s strike to keep South in front.
Nikki Furukawa stepped up next and drilled her penalty into the bottom left corner, and when Heidelberg’s Cam Barreirio rattled the crossbar, the stage was set.
Former captain Akeisha Sandhu who came on with minutes to spare in extra-time showed nerves of steel, burying the decisive spot-kick to crown South Melbourne the 2025 Nike FC Cup Winners.
