Arthur Diles has analysed why three points shrank to one for Melbourne Victory versus Sydney FC in Round 20 of the Isuzu UTE A-League.
The Boys in Blue appeared on course for a third straight away win, thanks to goals from Juan Mata, a stunning free-kick, and Charles Nduka, who has scored twice since signing for the Club in January.
There was, though, an emphatic response from the Sky Blues, finding the net in minutes 73 and 75 to wipe out Victory’s lead and split the points at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
Speaking during his post-match press conference, Diles admitted he would have had zero complaints had the game ended after Nduka’s finish before breaking down what cost his team, now unbeaten in five matches, a Big Blue maximum.
“Yeah, [I would have been] very happy, but unfortunately, it doesn’t. And you deal with five minutes of madness from us. I think we just switched off.
“The first one is the most important one, because that’s what gives them the confidence. At two-nil, you’ve got to hold firm and be strong mentally and just hold out, because you know they’re going to come out.
“We should have dealt with that better; we didn’t, they got momentum off the back of that, and in the end, to draw away from home, we’ll take that.”
Victory, already without first-choice left-back Jason Davidson, absent from the trip on personal leave, had to play the closing exchanges fielding a makeshift backline following the enforced departure of Roderick Miranda.
Diles provided a post-match update on the Captain after he was involved in a heavy collision when competing for an aerial ball.
“He looks like he’s in a lot of pain. I’m not sure the extent of the injury or what it actually is, but he’s in a lot of pain.
“And for Roddy to come off, it’s probably serious for him, but in the end, he did what’s best for the team, and came off, and Josh (Rawlins), he goes in the middle there, and Josh Inserra goes to the right, and they see it out.”
Watch Diles’ full press conference below.
