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A-League live scores, blog: Melbourne Victory vs Sydney FC

8th October, 2011
Squads

Melbourne Victory

21. Ante Covic
2. Matthew Foschini
3. Fabio
4. Petar Franjic
6. Leigh Broxham
7. Matthew Kemp
8. Grant Brebner
9. Jean Carlos Solorzano
10. Archie Thompson
11. Marco Rojas
12. Rodrigo Vargas
13. Diogo Ferreira
14. Billy Celeski
15. Tom Pondeljak
17. Jimmy Jeggo
18. Danny Allsopp
19. Isaka Cernak
20. Lawrence Thomas
22. Harry Kewell
23. Adrian Leijer (c)

Five to be omitted

Sydney FC

1. Liam Reddy
2. Sebastian Ryall
3. Jamie Coyne
4. Pascal Bosschaart
5. Michael Beauchamp
7. Brett Emerton
9. Bruno Cazarine
10. Nick Carle
11. Dimi Petratos
12. Shannon Cole
15. Terry McFlynn (c)
17. Terry Antonis
19. Mark Bridge
20. Ivan Necevski
21. Scott Jamieson
23 Rhyan Grant

one to be omitted

Kick-Off: 6.30pm AEST
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Melbourne
TV: Fox Sports 1 (LIVE)
Betting: $1.90 Melbourne, $3.30 Draw, $3.80 Sydney
Expert
8th October, 2011
121
5811 Reads

The scene is set for one of the biggest matches in A-League history tonight as Harry Kewell’s Melbourne Victory take on Brett Emerton’s Sydney FC at Etihad Stadium. Join us for live scores and a detailed description of the match from 6:20pm this evening.

In what is shaping up as the beginning of a new chapter in the A-League’s history, version seven of the nation’s premier football competition could not start with a bigger match-up.

Not only are the two biggest Australian clubs facing off but two favourite sons of Australian football are set to lock horns as well.

Kewell has returned from Europe as a free agent after stints with Leeds, Liverpool and Galatasaray. While, Emerton enjoyed time with dutch outfit Feyenoord before joining English Premier League side Blackburn in 2003.

Emerton played 94 matches for Sydney Olympic before departing overseas. Interestingly, tonight will be the first time that Kewell has played in a senior club match in Australia.

Both players fronted the media yesterday and did not shed any light on exactly which position they would play. In fact, there is a lot of mystery with the line-ups for tonight’s clash with both teams naming large squads that will need to be trimmed down.

Under Mehmet Durakovic, who replaces Ernie Merrick, Melbourne Victory will be looking to play a typically attacking style of football.

It didn’t get the results in a disappointing season last year but over the course of the A-League Melbourne Victory has played a style of football that tends to produce plenty of goals.

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It made the Victory one of the more successful clubs in this opening era of the completion.

In the off-season many new names have joined the club and despite the retirement of defensive stalwart Kevin Muscat, the new signings have generally been of an offensive kind.

Ex-Perth ‘keeper Tando Velaphi will have to wait to make his debut for the club with a stress fracture likely to keep him out for some time.

Because of the retirement of Michael Petkovic , Victory have been forced into signing a replacement for Velaphi. Former Jets ‘keeper Ante Covic has joined the club and should play tonight.

While championship-winning forward at the Brisbane Roar, Jean-Carlos Solorzano will be hoping for similar success in a Victory shirt.

Of the four A-League players transferred to the Blue side of Melbourne, perhaps 19-year Marco Rojas is the most exciting. After finally breaking into the Wellington team at the end of last season, Rojas showed a lot of raw talent.

His excellent touch on the ball made him the focal point of the Phoenix attack in the last few rounds of the season.

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26-year old Brazilian midfielder Fabinho has been picked up by the Victory after playing only 36 games since the end of the 2007 Brazilian football season.

Victory would expect plenty from their signings because along with Muscat and Petkovic, Evan Berger, Robbie Kruse and Mate Dugandzic have left the club.

In the past, Victory has always seemed to struggle without Muscat, so in the absence of an obvious replacement it will be interesting to see how the Melbourne defence holds up against the Sky Blues.

Carlos Hernandez misses tonight’s match because of international duty. It seems that Melbourne’s starting midfield could be completely different to that of last season. How it gels will be incredibly important in the initial phase of the season.

Sydney FC has had a relatively busy off-season. Karol Kisel returns to Sydney after scoring seven goals in 27 goes for Slavia Prague last season.

He will join Nicky Carle in the midfield stocks, but a calf injury keeps out of the side for tonight.

Vitezslav Lavicka has brought Jamie Coyne over from the Glory and ex-Socceroo defender Michael Beauchamp from Melbourne Heart.

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Pascal Bosschaart is the sort of defensive midfielder that is suited to Lavicka’s laborious game style and will add grunt to the midfield.

After winning the championship two seasons ago, Sydney took giant steps backwards last season. Much of that squad has been cleaned out and fans of the Sky Blues will pin their hopes in ‘Emmo’ this year.

But if Sydney is going to have a successful season, younger players will need to stand up.

And one of the most exciting prodigies in the league is Terry Antontis who has been promoted from the youth team. He is a highly-touted individual who could be the spark Sydney need.

There is hardly any exposed form to go on for tonight’s match. It is really difficult to predict what will happen.

Will Melbourne’s attack have the chemistry in the first round? Can Sydney make the necessary improvements from last season? Does the Sky Blues attack have enough goals in it? Who will have a bigger influence: Kewell or Emerton?

I guess time will tell with a lot of those questions. One thing is for sure: the A-League is back and a Big Blue derby featuring Kewell and Emerton is the best way for the season to kick off.

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I hope it’s a classic. I really have no idea who to tip. I have a feeling that Sydney will not be overly strong this season while Melbourne Victory haven’t always fired in the first week of the competition (only have won one round one clash in six tries).

For the sake of football, I will go with a 2-2 draw. Kewell to score a late equaliser for Victory!

Who will triumph in the Big Blue? Join us from 6.30pm AEDT for live scores and an interactive blog of all the action as it happens!

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