Postecoglou’s Victory lose to Olympiakos
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New Melbourne Victory coach Ange Postecoglou’s reign has started forgetably, as Greek heavyweights Olympiakos cruised to a 4-1 win at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
Socceroo Archie Thompson was the home side’s lone scorer, from a first-half penalty, in the exhibition match.
It was Postecoglou’s first game since leading Brisbane Roar to a second straight A-League championship in April, four days before being confirmed as the Victory’s new boss.
Boasting five Greek internationals tuning up for the upcoming Euro 2012, along with Swedish international Olef Mellberg, Olympiakos were way too classy for a depleted A-League outfit.
The Victory fielded a mostly youthful squad, having recently cut the likes of Carlos Hernandez, Grant Brebner and Ante Covic, while skipper Adrian Leijer, star Harry Kewell and goalkeeper Tando Velaphi were all missing.
The inexperienced Lawrence Thomas, in goal, faced an unenviable task early, as the talented visitors treated the Victory defence with contempt.
Olympiakos scored three goals in the first 25 minutes, to David Fuster and Ioannis Fetfaztidis, along with a Petar Franjic own goal.
The lead could have been much greater, three shots missing narrowly and the visitors victims of a doubtful offside call, all within the first 10 minutes.
The attacking showcase delighted the many Olympiakos fans among the 16,879 spectators.
Thompson salvaged some Victory pride from the spot in the 29th minute, having been brought down after a nice through-ball from veteran strike partner Danny Allsopp.
Some threatening runs from Thompson, auditioning for a Socceroos berth in June’s World Cup qualifiers, were among the few Victory highlights, although fleet-footed ex-Gold Coast signing Adama Traore had the odd nice moment.
Olympiakos eased up, making eight second-half substitutions, with Fuster chipping in his second in the dying minutes.
© AAP 2013The Crowd Says (23) | Page 1 of Comments
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May 20th 2012 @ 8:24am
Kasey said | May 20th 2012 @ 8:24am | Report comment
I’m glad these sports of things don’t deign to travel to Adelaide. its a circus. why should MVC fans shell out $50+ to watch a team on holidays play their team whose season ended months ago? Only a night for the Euro snobs and when LA Galaxy were here the theatre going celeb watchers. Does nothing for the local game IMO.
May 20th 2012 @ 9:00am
philipcoates said | May 20th 2012 @ 9:00am | Report comment
The timing couldn’t be worse. Playing well into the off season when those leaving the squad have gone and those coming to the squad have yet to arrive. It was a Victory second XI and they also made seven or eight subs in the second half to become the Victory youth team.
I’ve been to every Victory game at Etihad including the poorly supported ACL matches and there is no way the crowd was almost 17K – it was much more likely to have been 11K or 12K tops. I suspect the promoters lost their shirts on this one.
On a positive note, Ange’s influence on the defense was apparent with Victory playing the ball out in short passing triangles at every occasion regardless of the pressure from the attacking team. The made a couple of errors but persisted and it was good to see.
May 21st 2012 @ 9:05am
Realfootball said | May 21st 2012 @ 9:05am | Report comment
I hope they did lose their shirts – they deserve to. Ill conceived, pointless games like this damage football.
This game was an absurd idea, and Victory should have turned it down. The last thing the club needed right now was for a team of undertrained second stringers to be humiliated.
May 21st 2012 @ 9:37am
BigAl said | May 21st 2012 @ 9:37am | Report comment
What’s Fussball’s opinion onthis ?
May 22nd 2012 @ 10:05am
Fussball ist unser leben said | May 22nd 2012 @ 10:05am | Report comment
“The last thing the club needed right now was for a team of undertrained second stringers to be humiliated.”
Why? What’s the issue with this? Maybe, one day, o/s clubs will invite Brisbane to play but, I doubt it – most major foreign teams wouldn’t even know where Brisbane is located.
This match is pure “money for jam” for MVFC. We didn’t pay a cent – our players just had to turn up to the game & turn up to promotional events.
There’s no shame in MVFC losing to Olympiakos. This same Olympiakos team has beaten far better teams than MVFC, in the past 6 months – in the UCL just completed, Arsenal lost 3-1, Dortmund lost 3-1 & Marseilles lost 0-1.
May 20th 2012 @ 8:20pm
tom said | May 20th 2012 @ 8:20pm | Report comment
does any body know where i could find the team sheets for this match. there is a number of younesters at victory which i have watched at training in the last 2 weeks. wondering if they started and how they went. unfortunately i was led to believe the match was next week and did not attend the match.
May 21st 2012 @ 9:56am
Rusty0256 said | May 21st 2012 @ 9:56am | Report comment
Lineup was
Thomas
Kemp-Foschini-Franjic-Traore
Broxham-Ferriera-Jeggo
Rojas
Allsop-Thompson
Sam Gallagher got on in the 2nd half, not sure of the other subs as I haven’t finished watching the stream from OlympiakosTV
If you want to watch the game and turn down the Greek commentators here it is….
http://www.olympiacos.org/video-gallery/11756/imixrono-victory-melbourne-olympiakos
May 21st 2012 @ 11:07am
Realfootball said | May 21st 2012 @ 11:07am | Report comment
That really is a very, very ordinary lineup, Traore the only player worth having in the back 4, nd 2 33/34 year olds leading the line. Merrick has a lot to answer for with his contracting and recruitment.
If you look at this lineup and ask which players would make a CCM or Roar 11, Traore might push Steffanuto out. Might. He wouldn’t push Rose out of the 11. Thompson would be the only player who would be a certain starter, and he’s turning 34.
That’s it. Ange is going to have to work miracles with his recruiting. The idea of Victory pushing for the title next season is simply laughable. Ange will have his work cut out to finish in the 6 with that kind of talent on offer.
May 21st 2012 @ 1:03pm
philipcoates said | May 21st 2012 @ 1:03pm | Report comment
Thomas was good in goal and made some excellent saves. Ange’s big problem will be scoring goals. Thompson is past it and, continuing his late form from last year, he has forgotten what to do when five yards out. (ie SHOOT!)
May 21st 2012 @ 1:16pm
Realfootball said | May 21st 2012 @ 1:16pm | Report comment
I was being overly kind to Archie, I suspect. What irony that he couldn’t make the NT team when he was at his peak, and now – when he has slowed and can’t hit the target – Osieck selects him for the NT squad. Utterly mystifying.
If I was a Victory supporter I would not be feeling optimistic about this season.
May 21st 2012 @ 1:42pm
Qantas supports Australian Football said | May 21st 2012 @ 1:42pm | Report comment
You will be a Victory supporter by mid season—going on your past history…
May 21st 2012 @ 2:11pm
Realfootball said | May 21st 2012 @ 2:11pm | Report comment
Another post from the Twilight Delight Rest Home.
May 21st 2012 @ 3:25pm
Qantas supports Australian Football said | May 21st 2012 @ 3:25pm | Report comment
May 20th 2012 @ 11:10pm
KNACKERS said | May 20th 2012 @ 11:10pm | Report comment
Whenever there is a sporting event in Australia involving paticipants from some basket case broken arse country there are always a few visitors who decide that they don’t want to leave
Let’s hope that doesn’t happen here
May 21st 2012 @ 9:16am
Kasey said | May 21st 2012 @ 9:16am | Report comment
snap
May 21st 2012 @ 12:50pm
philipcoates said | May 21st 2012 @ 12:50pm | Report comment
Bear in mind that if any international standard Olympiacos players wanted to stay they would immediately be granted citizenship and a place in the Socceroo squad, unlike the real refugees who end up in concentration camps.
May 21st 2012 @ 9:28am
Johnno said | May 21st 2012 @ 9:28am | Report comment
Sack Ange
May 21st 2012 @ 9:28am
Kasey said | May 21st 2012 @ 9:28am | Report comment
No doubt there is such a thread on the MV message boards;)
May 22nd 2012 @ 11:42am
Clayts said | May 22nd 2012 @ 11:42am | Report comment
Lol. Best comment in here
May 22nd 2012 @ 10:22am
Bondy said | May 22nd 2012 @ 10:22am | Report comment
I hope it was a good turn out attendance wise with state of origin being on tomorrow, one may suggest that the staff Ange moved on is well,some of those who took to the field going on last years form probably shouldnt be there .
Can somebody help Lindsay out please .
(http://www.liquidgeneration.com/Lindsay-Lohans-Interactive-Bedroom ) .
May 26th 2012 @ 10:46am
Timber Tim said | May 26th 2012 @ 10:46am | Report comment
Hopefully the end of friendly and a message that the Australian football public aren’t stupid and won’t be gullible to pay anything.
May 26th 2012 @ 11:44am
Qantas supports Australian Football said | May 26th 2012 @ 11:44am | Report comment
Don’t be stupid; it was a worth while exercise, everyone got something out of it. Olympiakos and Melb Victory got their appearance fees, the promoter made a break even 17k or better profit and Ange rolled out his football philosophy against some good quality opposition—he would have learnt a lot from that exercise..
May 27th 2012 @ 10:31am
Bondy said | May 27th 2012 @ 10:31am | Report comment
timber tim
Why is it seen as cheap tac all the time we bring somebody or some team to this country, it’s just simply not good enough for some even Beckham coming to Australia “still not good enough”, why do people find it confusing or are intimidated when we play peoples form other countries with this sport in australia ,why is everything a cheap and taccy excercise ,where lets face it most other sports would jump at the chance to play other teams from around the world .