Melbourne Victory coach Mehmet Durakovic has hailed his team’s form heading into Friday’s derby against the Heart, having watched his men dismantle Wellington Phoenix 3-1 on Sunday.
Melbourne Victory coach Mehmet Durakovic has hailed his team’s form heading into Friday’s derby against the Heart, having watched his men dismantle Wellington Phoenix 3-1 on Sunday.
Victory climbed to fifth on the Hyundai A-League table with the win, which came through first-half goals to Archie Thompson and Diogo Ferreira either side of an own goal to the unlucky Vince Lia.
“The last three or four weeks we’ve been playing some really good football and today capped it off,” Durakovic said.
“The short, sharp passing game that I want these players to play, they basically kept it up right from the start to the end.”
“On another day it could’ve been another four or five goals but to have three or four chances one on one, at least we’re creating chances.”
“We’re playing the ball forward, we’re playing in triangles, we’re creating chances, the full-backs are overlapping, (so) I couldn’t be prouder of the boys tonight.”
Thompson may have picked up a knock to the ankle in the final 15 minutes and was substituted within a minute but Durakovic is unconcerned about him coming up in just five days.
“Archie will be ok, basically he’s just sort of sprained his ankle but knowing Archie he’ll be ok,” he said.
“So I’m happy with him coming off and not doing more damage.”
Durakovic was pleased that his men were able to turn it on ahead of the derby, the second of the season after the teams played out a scoreless draw in the early rounds.
“(If) we keep on playing this football that I want them to play honestly we’ll win a lot of games,” Durakovic said.
“And now playing Melbourne Heart next week, our supporters tonight were absolutely fantastic and credit to them because they lift the players up.”
“Our supporters as well, they were on top of the world because some football we played tonight was champagne and to play that kind of football leading into the derby game gives you a lot of confidence.”
Star recruit Harry Kewell still hasn’t scored for the club in open play this season but came close on four occasions in six minutes on Sunday and Durakovic believes his time will come.
The best of his chances came soon after the resumption after half-time when he beat three defenders inside the area and then pulled the trigger, only to send his effort flying over the bar, leading him to put his head in his hands in frustration.
“Harry again tonight was very good,” Durakovic said.
“Him, Archie and Carlos (Hernandez), the chances they created among each other was fantastic.”
“I tell you something if he (Kewell) had scored that goal it would have been goal of the year the way he took on two or three players.”
“He just wanted to burst the back of the net basically but on another day he’ll score a few more.”
