City secures 25-year-old NPL talent on injury-replacement contract following ‘unfortunate incident’

Melbourne City has officially announced the acquisition of goalkeeper Dakota Ochsenham on an injury-replacement contract, following the unfortunate loss of James Nieuwenhuizen due to an ACL injury.

The 25-year-old has signed with City on a contract that extends until January 2026, joining from NPL South Australia’s FK Beograd. Nieuwenhuizen has been ruled out for the entirety of the season after experiencing what the club termed ‘an unfortunate accident at home’.

Ochsenham previously spent two seasons with Adelaide United between 2019 and 2021 but did not feature in any matches for the Reds.

During his career, he won two NPLM SA Championships with Adelaide City and was honoured as the competition’s Goalkeeper of the Year in 2022.

The young shot-stopper has been training with City, who have been monitoring his progress closely over the past few years, during the 2022-23 season.

“Recognised as one of the standout goalkeepers outside the A-Leagues, he provides a strong aerial presence and excellent distribution — qualities that align perfectly with City’s playing philosophy,” the club’s announcement highlighted.

Ochsenham trained with Aurelio Vidmar’s squad earlier this week and is set to be available for selection in the upcoming match against Western Sydney Wanderers.

“We obviously needed a new goalkeeper, and we were on the lookout for the right person in terms of character,” head coach Aurelio Vidmar explained during his pre-match press conference.

“Furthermore, we sought someone who could fit into our style of play and who has a bit more experience.

“These were the three key factors, and Dakota met all of them; he was available, and we had been considering several players at the NPL level in Victoria, but they weren’t able to make the move, while Dakota was keen to join us.

“He’s an experienced player with over 100 NPL appearances in Adelaide.

“We have a good understanding of his character and work ethic. Collectively, these aspects influenced our decision.”