An all-academy team affair awaits this Sunday when Melbourne Victory host Melbourne City in Round 7 of VPL1.
Victory’s red-hot start to the 2024 season will face another significant obstacle when they take on Alessandro Diamanti’s City team this weekend.
The two teams last met in a competitive fixture back in the 2022 NPL3 season.
During that campaign, the home team won both of the regular season encounters.
However, Victory come into this weekend’s clash in a much different position compared to two seasons ago, currently sitting top of the VPL1 ladder after six games played.
Joe Palatsides’ side most recently played out a hard-fought 0-0 draw away to Caroline Springs George Cross, in a game where both teams ended with 10 players.
After a slow start, Victory gradually worked their way into the contest and had opportunities to score the decisive goal in the match.
Ultimately though, Victory were forced to settle for a point, taking their tally to 14 after six games.
City meanwhile have made a steady start to their 2024 campaign, collecting six points from their opening six fixtures.
A 2-2 draw with Bulleen Lions last time out captured the trend of City’s season, having already hit double-digits in the scoring tally, but also conceding 12 goals in that time, the third-most of any team in the division.
By comparison, Victory have had the stingiest defence in VPL1 so far this season, only letting in two goals from their first six games.
However, recent form may quickly become irrelevant when these two sides clash, with bragging rights on the line for some of Victoria’s most talented young footballers.
Be sure to make your way to Epping Stadium this Sunday to see all the action, kicking off at 3:00pm AEDT.
