Sydney FC have taken full advantage of Elvis Kamsoba’s first-half red card to beat a ten-man Melbourne Victory 3-0 at AAMI Park.
Victory were down a man from the 32nd minute when Elvis Kamsoba received a second yellow card.
Sydney took off from there with goals to Bobo, Kosta Barbarouses and Alexander Baumjohann sealing three points.
Kamsoba’s first caution came in the 14th minute when he attempted to kick the ball in midair and instead collected Ryan McGowan – who was bending to attempt to head the ball – in the head.
Just four minutes after Victory almost took the lead when Andrew Redmayne tipped Adama Traore’s sizzling long-range shot onto the post in the 28th minute, Kamsoba received a second yellow card for leaving a boot in on Paulo Retre.
Sydney took advantage of their numbers in the 42nd minute.
Rhyan Grant released Barbarouses and the former forward played a one-two with Anthony Caceres, then slid the ball across the face for Bobo to tap home.
Less than five minutes into the second half, Sydney doubled their lead when Caceres slipped through a clever ball for Barbarouses, who took a touch then slid a shot past Matt Acton.
Barbarouses then celebrated in front of the home team supporters, who responded by throwing plastic bottles at the former Victory forward.
Nick Ansell cleared Grant’s goal-bound header off the line in the 58th minute and three minutes later Acton pulled off a brilliant low save to deny Caceres at the near post.
But Victory’s night went from bad to worse when Dylan Ryan brought down McGowan just inside the 18-yard box.
Referee Daniel Elder had originally given a free kick but after a VAR review determined the foul was inside the box, he awarded a penalty.
Baumjohann coolly slotted the spot-kick to make it 3-0 in the 84th minute, and, like Barbarouses earlier, celebrated in front of the home fans and was greeted with bottles.
McGowan looked to have made it 4-0 in injury time but after a VAR review, was ruled offside.
The win saw the Sky Blues consolidate their hold on sixth place while Victory remain anchored to the bottom of the table.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Markovic is a terrible defender, they gave him a go and it was a disaster. They had some young guy last season who was physical fast was his name Lesiotis that guy was great at left back or mid. Lauton was one of the best for MV last season and played right back, but for some reason used as an attacker. Bello being a defender is a mystery looks and plays like an attacker with no defensive awareness. There is something weird about Brebners selections along with his weird smirking expressions on the side line instead of getting angry. You need to play the right youth, Dylan Ryan is another problematical one.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Yes, but that is Adelaide. They are a super club which all teams in the A League aspire to be like! You're right - our squads should be able to get through a season while covering for injuries. Adelaide have done well where as the injuries to Rojas, Gestedde, Shotton, etc has really knocked Victory around. And while Sydney has produced good young players who are in the Olyroos, Joeys and gone overseas - Melbourne and Sydney should be pumping out more young talent. Our competition and Socceroos need some new Cahills, Emertons, Kewells, Wade's, etc.
Adelaide Andy
Roar Rookie
That's an excuse, we have 6 first team players injured and are yet to play our actual proper first Xi and we're still a game off top
NoMates
Roar Rookie
True he did give a few kids a run of the bench, But he should be playing them like what we see with most A League clubs this season. And yeah Kruise playing game in game out being woeful and no hint of even replacing him with a kid is shocking.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Why, are MV having injury troubles are they?
A League is Awesome
Guest
Anyone can do a better job than Kruise at this stage.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Hoping the APL can surprise us with a united plan, investment, marketing, some new innovations and a decent broadcast deal. All the football supporters on here live in hope. We don't need any convincing about what a great product the A League is - the highest level sports competition in Australia. When you draw from over a million participants it's our premium game. We just have to get that message out there.
Grem
Roar Rookie
That's true - Easter weekend. There should have been a lot more people! What's wrong with Victory supporters - should be there through thick and thin. As if the Victory aren't going to be a top club again. Everything goes in cycles and they won't be down for long. If they could get their best team on the field they'd go OK this year.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Can't use that excuse here though!
jbinnie
Guest
Mid - Last season this game was watched by just under 18000 fans. Can you even start to imagine how much our A-League clubs are losing in gate takings with an 83 match average standing at 5,440, compared to last season's 10,007. It produces the question, have our new organisation leaders, the owners, decided to just write this season off as a bad experience. A risky road but one can only hope so. Cheers jb
Adelaide Andy
Roar Rookie
what kids? they refuse to play them, they are leaking goals. Why not give bello, markovic or nishikawa a run of matches to see if they can make it, this season is a write off
NoMates
Roar Rookie
I think there just waiting to take our coach next season in Ufuk Talay, Id also say they want Brebner to keep playing youth to build them up for next season.
Grem
Roar Rookie
I agree but is Sunday night at 7pm a good time slot? I hate making excuses for our crowds but I'm not a fan of arriving home late on Sunday night before the work and school week begins. If we have a new broadcaster next year we have to have more control over our days and times for games.
Adelaide Andy
Roar Rookie
Why won't they pull the trigger on thr Brebner firing? Surely victory aren't that tight with money they can't afford to sack him. Anywhere else on the world where a big team is bottom they would've sacked the coach (they mightve sacked 2 by now)
Mark
Guest
I should qualify that by saying they clearly didn’t like Kosta celebrating in front of the North End, but they were just waiting for goals 2, 3 etc to arrive.
Mark
Guest
It will get worse before it gets better for Victory. The fans who went last night weren’t given much reason to return. I was there last night and what amazed me most was how few, if any, Victory fans were shocked or angry when the goals went in. Things are so bad this year that they were just expecting it.
there
Guest
MV are so lucky, that A-League has no Promotion/Relegation. Giving where MV are and having no real consequences for losing, you might as well go all out attack for games or even blood some youngsters, if MV have got any coming through, for the remainder of the season.
David Shilovsky
Expert
Yeah, it was definitely disappointing but put yourself in a Victory fan's shoes. As a Sydney fan, in the years between our first double and when Arnie came on board, there were some dark days and I missed games when the entertainment proposition just wasn't there.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
Watching this match I was beyond disappointed with the low crowd turn out for arguably the biggest match on our calendar ...