South Melbourne are Australia Cup finalists and Bul Juach has done it again

Bul Juach was the hero as his second-half hat-trick powered NPL VIC giants South Melbourne past Lions FC and into the 2026 Australia Cup final.

The 2025 NPL VIC Golden Boot winner produced a devastating second-half treble as South Melbourne came from behind to defeat NPL QLD champions Lions FC 3-1 at Lakeside Stadium and reach the Australia Cup Final for the first time in their history.

For South, it was third time lucky after falling at the semi-final stage in 2017 and 2024.

For Juach, it was another reminder of his remarkable ability to deliver on the national stage as South now look ahead to a blockbuster showdown against A-League heavyweights Melbourne Victory.

South trailed at half-time after Jackson Hart-Phillips finished a slick Lions counterattack in the 23rd minute, putting the newly crowned Queensland champions within 45 minutes of an historic final appearance.

South coach Sinisa Cohadzic responded by introducing Juach at the break and seven minutes later, the game had changed.

David Yoo helped create the opening for Juach to equalise in the 53rd minute, before the striker struck again seven minutes later, meeting Hassan Ramazani’s pinpoint cross to turn the semi-final on its head.

His hat-trick arrived in the 83rd minute. Max Mikkola caused problems inside the Lions penalty area and Juach reacted quickest to bundle the ball home, completing a stunning cameo and sending more than 5,000 fans at Lakeside into celebration.

It continues an extraordinary relationship between Juach and the Australia Cup.

The prolific striker scored three times during Heidelberg United’s memorable run to last year’s final before leaving the NPL VIC club for Canada earlier this year.

South Melbourne brought the reigning Golden Boot winner back to Victoria during the mid-season window, adding one of the competition’s most dangerous forwards for the second half of their campaign.

The move has paid off.

Juach has scored seven goals across all competitions since returning to Australia, with five coming in three Australia Cup appearances. He was also on target against Fremantle City in the Round of 16 before his semi-final hat-trick.

Now he is heading back to the biggest stage in the competition.

South Melbourne will meet A-League giants Melbourne Victory in a blockbuster decider on October 10, the first competitive meeting between two clubs whose histories are deeply intertwined with Melbourne football.

South will also become just the third non-A-League club to contest an Australia Cup Final, following Sydney United in 2022 and Juach’s Heidelberg United last year.