Melbourne Victory extended its unbeaten run to seven games with a dramatic 1-1 draw with City in the Derby on Saturday.
Summary
Ola Toivonen’s second-half goal put Victory ahead at AAMI Park, but Dario Vidosic headed in a late equaliser for City.
Despite the draw, Victory closed the gap to league leader Perth Glory to one point.
The first chance of the Derby fell to City inside the opening minute, but Victory goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas made a low save from Vidosic’s strike.
Victory made an otherwise bright start, producing several good combinations, with Leigh Broxham having an early chance cleared.
The lively James Troisi then set up Terry Antonis, who curled an effort over from inside the area in the 13th minute.
Thomas was forced into another save by Lachlan Wales after Ritchie De Laet and Luke Brattan had fired shots over for City.
Victory, which was without Keisuke Honda, created a great chance – its best of the first half – in the 34th minute.
After a driving run, Carl Valeri’s pass was dummied by Toivonen before Broxham teed up Troisi, who stepped inside but saw his shot saved by Eugene Galekovic.
Thomas made a great save approaching half-time, tipping over a long-range drive from Rostyn Griffiths, before denying Wales in a one-on-one.
Victory made a strong start to the second half and Antonis was unable to pick out a target in the box after his hard work down the left.
But Toivonen opened the scoring 10 minutes into the second half with his fourth of the season and Victory’s 600th in the Hyundai A-League.
Antonis released Kosta Barbarouses down the left and the New Zealander’s cross picked out Toivonen, who side-footed in at the back post.
Toivonen blasted a powerful volley over with 20 minutes remaining before curling a long-range free-kick just wide moments later.
Nick Ansell produced an excellent last-ditch tackle to deny Michael O’Halloran, while Victory looked dangerous on the counter-attack.
However, City equalised in additional time, Vidosic heading in a Scott Jamieson cross.
Player in focus
Key moment
What they said – Troisi
on the late equaliser…
“It’s disappointing because we did so well, played some good football. They made it tough, it would’ve been an entertaining game to watch. Obviously very difficult, but at the end of the day it’s still a draw. We’d like to win.”
on Honda’s withdrawal…
“That’s football. We shouldn’t have to rely on one person. Obviously in terms of attacking wise, maybe we lost that little bit of quality, it was a tough and intense game. We probably lost the ball a little bit too much. All credit to Broxy, he plays right-back, he plays centre-back, he plays centre mid. Keisuke is obviously a fantastic player and he’s been fantastic for us, but we can’t make excuses.”
Result
Hyundai A-League 2018/19 Round 9
City 1 (Dario Vidosic 90+2′)
Melbourne Victory 1 (Ola Toivonen 55′)
City: Galekovic (gk); De Laet (Atkinson 64′), Delbridge, Schenkeveld, Jamieson (c); Vidosic, Griffiths, Baccus, Brattan (Najjarine 77′); Wales (O’Halloran 64′), McGree.
Melbourne Victory: Thomas (gk); Roux, Deng, Ansell, Brown; Valeri (c); Broxham (Hope 88′), Troisi, Antonis; Barbarouses, Toivonen.
Yellow cards: Broxham 25′, Ansell 34′, Delbridge 67′, Schenkeveld 75′, McGree 90+5′
Red cards: Nil
Attendance: TBA
Venue: AAMI Park
Next up
Victory is in Melbourne again in Round 10, hosting Wellington Phoenix at AAMI Park on Friday, December 28.
