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Melbourne Victory have repeated last year’s trick, defeating their Big Blue rivals Sydney FC on the first weekend of the season for the second time running thanks to a commanding 2-0 win at Allianz Stadium.
Victory, who had been $3 outsiders before the game, had turned over their intercity rivals 3-2 last year on opening night and were never in doubt this time around, enjoying the best of the chances before taking two late on.
The star of the show was Zinedine Machach, the newly-arrived number 10 for Victory, who showed exceptional close control and ability to hold off defenders and scored a rampaging goal to clinch the victory late on.
It was perhaps ironic that, at the start of a season in which the league is seeking to sell itself as a place to see the stars of the future today, it was 36-year-old striker Bruno Fornaroli who showed the composure to put Victory ahead, before a back four with a collective age of 130 kept the hosts at bay.
New signing Machach, a relative spring chicken at 27, was the game’s best player and put the tin hat on the result late on.
His goal, a dribble that began 40m out, was more of a battering ram than anything his more celebrated namesake might have produced, but it was impressive nonetheless.
Had his teammates shown better finishing, it might have been settled far earlier. 2-0 was fair, but it was a long time coming and, on another day, Melbourne might have been punished.
As it happened, the hosts struggled to get any attack going at all. Their goalscorers in the Australia Cup Final, Robert Mak and new Brazilian striker Fabio Gomes, were both dragged midway through the second half having offered little, which Joe Lolley, usually close to their best, was well-marshalled.
Sydney had begun the final slowly and were punished early on, before coming on strong in the second half. Tonight, they were not immediately made to pay, but continued their sluggishness throughout.
Victory trailed in possession, but were far more effective in transition, creating two early chances for Arzani and Machach, both of which emanated from Adama Traore’s dynamism on the left.
The hosts did go close from a corner, with Paul Izzo denying Rhyan Grant, but the bulk of the traffic was towards Andrew Redmayne’s goal.
The Socceroos keeper easily saved an Arzani shot, but could only look on as Traore and Machach again combined, freeing Nishan Velupillay in the centre of the goal. Fortunately for the keeper, his shot trickled wide.
Sydney were having real trouble picking up Machach, with the Frenchman slowly imposing himself as the most threatening player as the first half wore on.
Melbourne weren’t immune to attacks, with Gabriel Lacerda forcing a low save from Izzo just before the break, but beyond set pieces, the main Sydney threats had been contained.
Max Burgess, elevated to the starting lineup, was innocuous and the key three of Mak, Lolley and Gomes unable to influence the game.
Tony Popovic called for greater composure in front of goal in the second half, but didn’t get it.
Machach again sprung free, but when Velupillay found midfielder Rai Marchan, his shot was poor and Redmayne easily parried.
Eventually Victory were sure to take one of their chances, but they couldn’t have imagined how simple it would be.
Redmayne inadvisably rolled the ball to Luke Brattan, who then turned back into three pressing Victory players. The ball squirted to Fornaroli and, from inside the D, the Uruguayan made no mistake.
It was comical stuff from two of the most experienced players on Corica’s team and gifted Victory the lead.
Mak and Gomes were withdrawn immediately by Corica, with Patrick Wood and Jaiden Cucharski introduced, but the attacking prospects did not improve.
Sydney were only able to threaten from range: Lolley sent one wide, while Brattan stung Izzo’s palms from a free kick.
Indeed, the closest anyone went to scoring was Fornaroli again, who nodded wide on a counterattack then missed from close range on a rebound.
Eventually the second came. Machach had nothing on when he picked up the ball, but set his course for goal, bundled a few defenders out of the way and slid his shot across Redmayne to secure a deserved 2-0 win.