Heart captain Scott Thompson says his team have begun to emerge from the shadow of Victory after winning the A-League’s first Melbourne derby 2-1.
The match was heavily promoted throughout the week and proved a perfect opportunity for Heart in their debut season to make a statement, outplaying Victory in front of a sell-out crowd of 25,897 fans at AAMI Park.
“In the back of our minds we knew that by a massive performance tonight, it was also going to get the fan base sort of thing on our side,” Thompson said after Friday night’s boilover win against last season’s grand finalists.
“We’re always for now probably going to be in the shadow of Melbourne Victory and we want to change that quick smart.
“We’ve got everything going for us, off the pitch as well as on. It was a massive performance, not only for the boys but for the people who are supporting the Heart.
“It makes it a little bit more special to beat the Victory in front of a massive crowd.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling. We can’t wait to go to training on Monday and start again.
“It was important for us. We’re a new club and over the last five years Melbourne have arguably been the most consistent.
“We put ourselves where we dominated the majority of the game and we definitely deserved to win.”
Alex Terra tapped in the winner for Heart following a Rutger Worm cross in the 56th minute.
Heart had gone 1-0 up in the 10th minute when John Aloisi scored with a header after a fine cross from the busy Terra.
The two-time champions were constantly under attack, but the veteran Kevin Muscat took a quick free kick which allowed Robbie Kruse to poke through the equaliser for Victory in the 37th minute.
Heart’s third win in their debut season moves them up to 11 points but they stay in eighth spot while Victory drop one spot to sixth.
The match was full of drama, with Heart’s Aziz Behich red-carded in the 74th minute after earning a second yellow for a tackle on Kruse.
Victory had their chances in the second half with Geoff Kellaway dribbling towards goal in the 70th minute and being stripped of the ball by defender Michael Marrone in a brilliant effort.
A minute later, Carlos Hernandez missed a simple header opportunity.
Victory coach Ernie Merrick said it was his side’s worst effort of the season.
“Credit to Heart, they closed us down, they stopped our passing game,” Merrick said.
“We just couldn’t get into our rhythm at all.”
Heart coach John van ‘t Schip was disappointed the home team didn’t receive a penalty in the 78th minute, when Muscat appeared to handle the ball but immediately held his face to convince the referee that the ball had hit him in the head.
“Well, I saw Muscat, he didn’t have his gloves on but that was the only thing that was missing,” van ‘t Schip joked of the Muscat incident in the 78th minute.
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