Amidst the Bundoora sky, the triumphant South Melbourne Hellas footballers lifted the coveted Dockerty Cup for the 2024 season.
Despite facing the formidable Oakleigh Cannons, they showed impressive composure, efficiency, and mental fortitude to claim victory in the nail-biting penalty shootout at the home of the Matildas.
But let’s rewind and savor every moment of this epic showdown.
Mother nature graced us with a perfect day for the big final and the two coaches filled the field with a star-studded starting eleven on each side.
The Hellas boys had a slight edge in the first half, perhaps because the Cannons were still recovering from their intense battle against Sydney FC in the Australian Cup last Tuesday.
However, the Cannons refused to go down without a fight and managed to level the game in the second half, forcing it to go into extra time. And boy, was it a drag.
Both teams seemed exhausted and uninterested in chasing a goal, setting the stage for the ultimate decider – a nerve-wracking penalty shootout.
It all boiled down to the two goalkeepers, and let’s just say Javier Lopez from South Melbourne was in a league of his own. He saved not one, but two penalties, while the Oakleigh keeper could only manage to block one.
The grand finale was sealed with a killer shot from the young prodigy Lucan Inglese, who went wild with his teammates and fans.
Saturday afternoon truly belonged to the Hellas squad and their devoted supporters.
Kudos to Football Victoria for hosting a legendary football extravaganza, showcasing the rich history of the competition as well as the incredible journey of the two participating clubs. The pre-final event was a gastronomic delight with top-notch grub and drinks, accompanied by live music. Among the distinguished guests were club officials, the Greek consul Emmanuel Kakavelakis, Greek community president Bill Papastergiadis, journalists, and local sports icons.
A round of applause for everyone involved!
We got the scoop from none other than Chris Pehlivanis, the CEO of Football Victoria, to dish out his take on the grand finale.
“Congratulations to our entire team for pulling off such a fabulous football extravaganza! The partnership between the two clubs, South Melbourne Hellas and Oakleigh Cannons, was the secret sauce that made this event a smashing success. Their efforts truly exceeded our wildest dreams and helped us put on a spectacular celebration that truly reflects the future of Football Victoria. Together, we are determined to elevate football to its rightful place and with everyone’s efforts, I have no doubt that we will achieve this goal. As they say, team work makes the dream work, and in the world of local football, unity and involvement from all is key to scoring big in this beautiful sport!”
Said the CEO of Football Victoria and continued.
“We took plenty of notes from this final. I am sure that the next NPL finals will be a finely-tuned spectacle. We’re cooking up some grand plans to take the sport to greater heights, and with the help of the clubs, we’ll go to any lengths to achieve it. The Dockerty Cup finale was just the kickoff to a victorious new age for football and Football Victoria.”
