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It was hyped-up to be a thrilling contest and it didn’t disappoint, as Melbourne Victory claimed a 4-2 win over Sydney FC.
REPORT: VICTORY DOWN SYDNEY 4-2
The wet conditions did not seem to dampen the mood here at the Allianz as the intensity was electric from the opening whistle. The Sky Blues answered the hype early, as Filip Holosko opened the scoring after some brilliant footwork by Alex Gersbach giving Sydney the lead in the first five minutes.
The Victory however were very quick to reply, with Besart Berisha firing home the equaliser four minutes later, which added to the thrilling intensity of the match.
Sydney however did not let this bother them, as they continued to attack and put pressure on the Victory defence.
The Sky Blues were rewarded with a captains goal from Alex Brosque, as the Sky Blues pounced on a Victory turnover.
It looked as though Sydney were beginning to take control of the match, before the Victory came from behind yet again as Guilherme Finkler slotted home his sides second, making it two goals a piece inside the first 30 minutes.
The second half started very much like the first, however this time it was all Sydney throughout the early stages in the second half.
Sydney would be wondering how they did not score a third, as the Sky Blues constantly peppered the Victory defence.
The Victory were counting their lucky stars as they escaped without conceding as Sydney dominated a good 20 minutes of play, only to be denied by the upright and Vukovic in goals.
It was the Victory then who pounced and took their chance, as super sub Kosta Barbarouses gave his side the lead with twenty minutes to go. Barabourses’ presence up front certainly turned things around for the Victory.
The Victory were rewarded with a fourth goal for their ability to absorb Sydney’s pressure, as Berisha secured the win for the away side, scoring his second in front of the away fans.
A thrilling contest from both sides, in what was a match that will be talked about for a long time to come. The win makes it seven games since the Sky Blues defeated the Victory.
Sydney will feel as though they deserved something out of this match, whilst the Victory will be very pleased that they were able to win after being on the back foot for much of the second half.
Final score
Sydney FC 2
Melbourne Victory 4
Sydney FC will look to continue their unbeaten run to the season when they host bitter rivals Melbourne Victory in the A-League at the Allianz Stadium. Join The Roar from 7:15pm (AEST) for live scores and commentary.
The Big Blue returns in season 2015-16 as the Sky Blues and the Victory meet yet again in a battle that is not to be missed.
Both teams have started the campaign strongly and will be determined to claim bragging rights, in a fixture rich in controversy and excitement.
The last time these two sides met was in last season’s grand final, which saw the Victory cruise to a 3-0 win and be crowned champions. Sydney FC, however, have been quick to get things back on track as they have tackled the season in a determined fashion.
The Sky Blues remain the only undefeated side in the competition, buoyed by new recruits such as Milos Ninkovic and Brandon O’Neill who have so far showcased excellent performances. They have led the way early, positioning themselves as a serious threat to the premiership.
Sydney are coming off what was a disappointing goalless draw in the top of the table clash against the Brisbane Roar last week, missing the chance to go three points clear on top.
Following last week’s FFA Cup final victory against Perth Glory, Melbourne Victory has quickly shifted its attention to Sydney. In what was the Victory’s most impressive performance of the season so far, Kevin Muscat’s boys dominated the majority of the match with the attacking flair that saw them terrorise the league last season.
This fixture has seen some terrific battles over the history of the league, making this one of the most anticipated fixtures of the season. These two sides played out three draws last season, including two 3-3 draws which had fans on the edge of their seats throughout the night.
Sydney have left it late this season to find the back of the net, having scored four of their six goals this season in the last 15 minutes of play. In what will surely be a very tight and tense contest, this could greatly advantage the Sky Blues in finding a late winner.
The Victory will be hoping that history repeats itself tonight, having not lost to Sydney in their last six meetings. Their last defeat to the Sky Blues, however, was their most humiliating one, going down 5-0 at Etihad Stadium.
Both sides have lost players due to international commitment, forcing them to dig deep into their squads to fill in the gaps.
Sydney will have to make do without Andrew Hoole and Christopher Naumoff but will be buoyed by the return of star midfielder Milos Dimitrijevic, while also welcoming Robert Stambolziev and Jacob Tratt to the first team.
The Victory make four new inclusions, with Jesse Makarounas and Dylan Murnane returning to the squad along with Kieran Dover and Stefan Nigro from the youth team.
The Sky Blues will be hoping veteran striker Shane Smeltz fires up in this match. The Kiwi international has been quite dormant this season, scoring only once in the opening six games.
Smeltz’s record against the Victory is second to none however, having scored 15 goals, including four goals in the three meetings last season. It will be a highly entertaining battle between Smeltz and Victory centre back Matthieu Delpierre.
Prediction: This one will go down to the wire. Draw 2-2
Will the Sky Blues continue their unbeaten run with a Big Blue win? Or will the Victory topple their bitter rivals away from home? Join The Roar from 7:15pm (AEST) for live scores and commentary on our live blog.
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